• by Tanya Gazdik , 6 hours ago

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the makers of Tylenol, claiming that the companies hid the risks of the drug on brain development of children.

“The lawsuit is the latest fallout from President Trump’s claim last month that use of Tylenol during pregnancy can cause autism. That link is unproven,” according to The New York Times. “Mr. Paxton filed the suit against Johnson & Johnson, which sold Tylenol for decades, and Kenvue, a spinoff company that has sold the drug since 2023.”

The lawsuit claims that the companies knowingly withheld evidence from consumers about Tylenol’s links to autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

“Paxton, a firebrand Republican running for U.S. Senate, directly invoked the MAHA movement led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in filing the suit,” according to The Washington Post, which notes that Texas is the first state to file such a case.

“By holding Big Pharma accountable for poisoning our people, we will help Make America Healthy Again,” Paxton said in a statement.

"Johnson & Johnson violated the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act by fraudulently transferring liabilities arising from Tylenol to a separate company, Kenvue, in order to shield their assets against lawsuits arising from the harmful impact Tylenol had on children," according to a press release from Paxton’s office.

“Trump doubled down on the claim in a Monday social media post, warning pregnant women not to use the drug ‘UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY,’” according to Politico. “A co-author of the study cited by the Trump administration in its warnings against Tylenol use by pregnant women has insisted that the drug remains safe for pregnant women and that more research is needed to better understand the correlation between acetaminophen use and autism.”

The lawsuit calls for the companies to “destroy any marketing or advertising materials in their possession that represent, directly or indirectly, that Tylenol is safe for pregnant women and children," according to CNN Health. “The lawsuit also calls for the companies to pay civil penalties to the state in the amount of $10,000 per violation.”

Kenvue said in a statement that the lawsuit is “baseless” and it would defend against it.

“Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy," Kenvue said. "We are deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen.”

Johnson & Johnson did not comment on Paxton's lawsuit, and in a separate statement said Kenvue is responsible for "all rights and liabilities associated with the sale of its over-the-counter products, including Tylenol,” according to Reuters.