President Donald Trump and the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. announced on Sept. 22 that Autism Spectrum Disorder was caused by acetaminophen — the active drug in Tylenol — when taken during pregnancy. In response to the announcement, Texas has filed a lawsuit against the makers of Tylenol, Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue on Oct. 27.
Texas is the first state to have filed such a suit. In the lawsuit, Attorney General Ken Paxton alleges that the company failed to caution customers of the risks of taking Tylenol while pregnant.
“Big Pharma betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks. These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets,” the Attorney General’s Office stated in a press release.
Kenvue, the corporate subsidiary that makes Tylenol, pushed back against the lawsuit.
“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 stated.
Tylenol continues to be a contentious topic in America. Experts agree that autism is caused by several origins, ranging from genetics to environmental factors. While the discourse surrounding Tylenol continues, the World Health Organization recommends that “all [pregnant] women continue to follow advice of their doctors or health workers, who can help assess individual circumstances and recommend necessary medicines.”
Several Republican senators have publicly denounced the HHS findings about Tylenol, including Sens. John Thune and Bill Cassidy.
During an interview with CNN’s “Inside Politics,” Thune cautioned the Trump administration against making big assertions regarding Tylenol.
“My view is we ought to be very guarded in making broad assertions and make sure that they are well grounded in science and medicine and where we’re taking the consultation advice of experts in the field and ensuring that these things are all well documented,” Thune commented.
Similarly, Senator Bill Cassidy expressed concern about the Trump administration’s announcement, criticizing the HHS findings.
“The preponderance of evidence shows that this is not the case. The concern is that women will be left with no options to manage pain in pregnancy. We must be compassionate to this problem,” Cassidy wrote on X.
On the Tylenol bottle, there is currently no warning against acetaminophen being a cause of autism, though the bottle does advise pregnant or breastfeeding persons to consult their doctor before use.
As for the Texas lawsuit against Tylenol, a hearing date has not been set yet. No further information regarding the lawsuit other than the court filing has been released.
