Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against Tylenol manufacturers, accusing them of hiding information about potential risks associated with the drug’s impact on children’s brain development. The lawsuit was prompted partly by President Donald Trump’s recent promotion of an unsubstantiated connection between taking Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy and the development of autism in children.
Paxton’s suit names Johnson & Johnson, the former seller of Tylenol, and Kenvue, its current manufacturer. In a statement, Paxton declared these companies “betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks.”
Kenvue has stated that there is no credible scientific evidence to support the claim that Tylenol is linked to autism.
“These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets,” Paxton asserted. Kenvue responded by expressing concern over the spread of misinformation regarding acetaminophen’s safety, particularly its potential effects on pregnant women and children.
The company’s website also emphasizes that its continuous review of scientific data reveals no confirmed link between acetaminophen use and autism. Medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, concur with this assessment. They note that acetaminophen is one of the few safe options for pregnant women to manage pain and fever, conditions that can pose significant health risks if left untreated.
The lawsuit highlights recent statements from the Trump administration as justification for its claims. Last month, President Trump advised pregnant women to “fight like hell” against taking Tylenol. In response, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a notice suggesting doctors consider limiting Tylenol use, while also clarifying that no causal relationship between the drug and autism has been established.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who oversees the FDA, had previously announced plans for extensive testing to identify the causes of autism. However, experts caution that autism’s origins are complex, likely resulting from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, making a single cause difficult to pinpoint. Autism is understood as a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition affecting how individuals interact with the world.
Paxton, who is also running for the US Senate, alleges in his filing that Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson “willfully ignored and attempted to silence the science” concerning acetaminophen and autism. The lawsuit seeks to compel the companies to cease any marketing or advertising that promotes Tylenol as safe for pregnant women. This legal challenge in Texas mirrors a similar class-action lawsuit filed by parents of children with autism and ADHD in 2022, which was dismissed by a federal judge who found the expert witness testimony inconclusive.