In a statement, Kenvue said that the state’s allegations “lack legal merit and scientific support,” pledging to defend itself in court. Additionally, Kenvue said that acetaminophen remains “the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a conspiracy-ridden lawsuit accusing Tylenol of concealing the alleged association between acetaminophen and autism.
According to CBS News, while Paxton’s lawsuit echoes the stance of U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy, it contradicts medical expertise and prevailing scientific knowledge.
Filed on Monday, the lawsuit accuses Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue, the manufacturer of Tylenol, of having known for decades that “acetaminophen—Tylenol’s active ingredient—is dangerous to unborn children and young children. Yet they hid this danger and deceptively marketed Tylenol as the only safe painkiller for pregnant women.”
Kenvue currently manufacturers Tylenol, but it only separated from Johnson & Johnson in 2023.
Paxton’s lawsuit, therefore, seeks to hold Johnson & Johnson liable for misrepresentations it allegedly made during the time that it controlled and directed the manufacture of Tylenol.
However, Paxton’s case seems weak, at least from a scientific perspective. Rather than citing medical studies or leaning into potential reports, it simply reiterates that the lawsuit’s stance is the same adopted by the Trump administration.
“The federal government confirmed what Defendants knew for years: acetaminophen use during pregnancy likely causes conditions like [autism] and [attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder],” the lawsuit says.
Paxton claims that Johnson & Johnson formed Kenvue with the explicit intent of shifting away Tylenol-related liabilities.
In a statement, Kenvue said that the state’s allegations “lack legal merit and scientific support,” pledging to defend itself in court. Additionally, Kenvue said that acetaminophen remains “the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy.”
“We are deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the health of American women and children,” Kenvue said in a statement.
“Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives,” Kenvue said. “High fevers and pain are widely recognized as potential risks to a pregnancy if left untreated.”
Kenvue noted that the scientific consensus on autism and acetaminophen is at odds with the Trump administration’s stance.
“We stand firmly with the global medical community that acknowledges the safety of acetaminophen and believe we will continue to be successful in litigation as these claims lack legal merit and scientific support,” the company said.
Johnson & Johnson told CBS News that the litigation is, or should be, irrelevant to its current operations and business interests.
“Johnson & Johnson divested its consumer health business years ago, and all rights and liabilities associated with the sale of its over-the-counter products, including Tylenol (acetaminophen), are owned by Kenvue,” the company said.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said that the FDA’s determination on Tylenol being linked to autism was based on studies that “suggest a potential association between acetaminophen used during pregnancy and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes,” citing a single report in Environmental Health.
Sources
Texas AG sues makers of Tylenol, claiming they hid alleged links to autism
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton files Tylenol lawsuit over autism claims
Texas attorney general sues Tylenol company over autism claims
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