🔗 Share this article

The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the makers of acetaminophen, alleging the firms hid safety concerns that the pain reliever presented to children's neurological development.

The lawsuit arrives four weeks after President Donald Trump publicized an unproven link between using acetaminophen - alternatively called paracetamol - throughout gestation and autism in young ones.

The attorney general is filing suit against J&J, which formerly manufactured the medication, the exclusive pain medication suggested for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which currently produces it.

In a statement, he claimed they "betrayed America by profiting off of suffering and promoting medication regardless of the dangers."

The manufacturer says there is insufficient reliable data tying Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.

"These manufacturers misled for generations, intentionally threatening millions to increase profits," Paxton, from the Republican party, declared.

The company said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the security of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the well-being of American women and children."

On its website, the company also mentioned it had "regularly reviewed the relevant science and there is insufficient valid information that shows a verified association between consuming acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."

Organizations representing physicians and health professionals share this view.

The leading OB-GYN organization has declared paracetamol - the key substance in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to treat pain and fever, which can pose major wellness concerns if left untreated.

"In more than two decades of studies on the consumption of acetaminophen in pregnancy, zero credible investigations has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any period of pregnancy causes neurological conditions in young ones," the group stated.

The court filing cites current declarations from the former administration in asserting the drug is reportedly hazardous.

Last month, the former president raised alarms from health experts when he advised women during pregnancy to "fight like hell" not to take Tylenol when ill.

The FDA then issued a notice that medical professionals should contemplate reducing the consumption of acetaminophen, while also mentioning that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in minors has not been established.

Health Secretary Kennedy, who supervises the FDA, had promised in spring to initiate "a massive testing and research effort" that would establish the source of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.

But experts advised that discovering a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the result of a complicated interplay of inherited and surrounding conditions - would be difficult.

Autism is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and impairment that influences how individuals perceive and interact with the environment, and is recognized using physician assessments.

In his lawsuit, the attorney general - aligned with the former president who is campaigning for the Senate - claims the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and attempted to silence the evidence" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.

The case attempts to require the firms "remove any promotional materials" that states acetaminophen is secure for expectant mothers.

The court case echoes the grievances of a assembly of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and ADHD who filed suit against the producers of acetaminophen in 2022.

Judicial authorities rejected the legal action, stating studies from the parents' expert witnesses was inconclusive.