(MENAFN) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the makers of Tylenol, claiming the companies concealed potential risks the drug poses to children’s brain development. The suit targets Johnson & Johnson, the previous seller, and Kenvue, the current manufacturer, alleging they prioritized profits over safety. Paxton said the companies “betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks.”

The legal action follows President Donald Trump promoting an unproven link between prenatal Tylenol use and autism in children. Kenvue has countered that no credible evidence connects acetaminophen—the active ingredient in Tylenol—to autism, stating that it continuously reviews scientific research and has found no proven link. Medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, agree that acetaminophen remains one of the few safe options for pregnant women to manage pain and fever. “In more than two decades of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children,” the organization said.

The lawsuit references recent statements from the Trump administration raising concerns about Tylenol’s safety during pregnancy. Last month, Trump advised pregnant women to “fight like hell” against taking the medication, prompting the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue guidance recommending doctors consider limiting use, while noting that a direct causal link between Tylenol and autism has not been established. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously pledged a broad research effort to explore autism causes, though experts caution that autism arises from a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors.

Paxton, a Trump ally and Senate candidate, alleges in his court filing that Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson “willfully ignored and attempted to silence the science” on acetaminophen and autism. The lawsuit seeks to compel the companies to remove any marketing or advertising suggesting Tylenol is safe for pregnant women.

The case mirrors a 2022 lawsuit brought by parents of children with autism and ADHD, which was dismissed by a federal judge after the expert evidence presented was deemed inconclusive.

MENAFN29102025000045017640ID1110263345