Texas Attorney General Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the producers of acetaminophen, alleging the corporations withheld potential risks that the drug posed to pediatric cognitive development.
The lawsuit follows thirty days after President Donald Trump advocated an unproven link between taking acetaminophen - also known as paracetamol - throughout gestation and autism in children.
The attorney general is taking legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, which once produced the medication, the sole analgesic recommended for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which currently produces it.
In a official comment, he stated they "misled consumers by gaining financially from suffering and promoting medication regardless of the potential hazards."
Kenvue asserts there is lacking scientific proof connecting Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These manufacturers misled for generations, intentionally threatening millions to increase profits," the attorney general, a Republican, stated.
The company said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned by the spread of false claims on the security of paracetamol and the potential impact that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."
On its official site, the company also mentioned it had "continuously evaluated the relevant science and there is no credible data that indicates a proven link between consuming acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Organizations acting on behalf of physicians and health professionals agree.
ACOG has stated paracetamol - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to manage pain and elevated temperature, which can pose major wellness concerns if ignored.
"In multiple decades of research on the utilization of paracetamol in gestation, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the usage of acetaminophen in any period of pregnancy leads to brain development issues in young ones," the organization said.
The lawsuit cites recent announcements from the previous government in arguing the drug is allegedly unsafe.
Last month, the former president raised alarms from medical authorities when he instructed expectant mothers to "struggle intensely" not to consume acetaminophen when sick.
Federal regulators then issued a notice that doctors should contemplate reducing the use of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism in children has remains unverified.
The Health Department head Kennedy, who supervises the FDA, had pledged in April to undertake "a massive testing and research effort" that would identify the source of autism in a matter of months.
But specialists advised that identifying a single cause of autism - thought by researchers to be the result of a intricate combination of inherited and environmental factors - would not be simple.
Autism is a category of enduring cognitive variation and disability that impacts how persons encounter and engage with the surroundings, and is recognized using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is running for federal office - claims the manufacturer and J&J "deliberately disregarded and attempted to silence the science" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The case seeks to make the corporations "destroy any marketing or advertising" that claims acetaminophen is safe for women during pregnancy.
The court case mirrors the concerns of a collection of mothers and fathers of children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the manufacturers of Tylenol in recently.
The court dismissed the legal action, stating research from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.
