In brief
In a significant legal move, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue regarding the alleged risks of Tylenol, particularly its purported link to autism when taken during pregnancy. The lawsuit reflects ongoing debates surrounding the drug's safety, heightened by comments from figures such as Donald Trump. While the defendants assert that there is no credible evidence supporting these autism claims, the lawsuit calls for a re-evaluation of the marketing strategies employed around the drug. Leading medical organizations maintain that Tylenol remains a safe option for pregnant women, despite the lawsuits and public concern.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the makers of Tylenol, claiming the companies hid alleged dangers that the drug posed to children's brain development.
The lawsuit comes a month after President Donald Trump promoted an unproven link between taking Tylenol - also known as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in children.
Paxton is suing Johnson & Johnson, which previously sold the drug, the only pain reliever recommended for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which now manufactures it. In a statement, he said they betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks.
Kenvue says there is no credible evidence tying Tylenol to autism.
These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets, Paxton, a Republican, said.
Kenvue expressed concern over what they termed misinformation regarding acetaminophen safety, stating that no credible data shows a proven link between taking it and autism.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has asserted acetaminophen is one of the few options for treating pain and fever in pregnant women, emphasizing safety cautions with untreated conditions.
Paxton’s legal filing highlights the urgent public health discourse ignited by recent political statements, notably Trump advising pregnant women against Tylenol use.
In his lawsuit, Paxton asserts that the companies willfully ignored and attempted to silence the science regarding acetaminophen and autism, demanding the cessation of marketing claims regarding its safety for pregnant women.
This controversy has also seen echoes in a previous lawsuit by a group of parents of children with autism who claimed similar risks, but that case was dismissed for inconclusive evidence.
