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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the producers of acetaminophen, asserting the firms withheld alleged dangers that the pain reliever created to children's brain development.

The court filing comes four weeks after Donald Trump promoted an unsubstantiated connection between consuming acetaminophen - also known as paracetamol - throughout gestation and autism spectrum disorder in children.

Paxton is filing suit against the pharmaceutical giant, which formerly manufactured the medication, the sole analgesic suggested for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which currently produces it.

In a official comment, he claimed they "betrayed America by profiting off of discomfort and marketing drugs without regard for the risks."

The manufacturer states there is lacking scientific proof connecting Tylenol to autism.

"These companies lied for decades, deliberately risking numerous people to increase profits," Paxton, a Republican, said.

Kenvue stated officially that it was "deeply concerned by the spread of false claims on the safety of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the well-being of US mothers and children."

On its website, Kenvue also stated it had "regularly reviewed the pertinent research and there is lacking reliable evidence that indicates a established connection between consuming acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."

Associations representing physicians and healthcare providers agree.

The leading OB-GYN organization has stated acetaminophen - the primary component in Tylenol - is one of the few options for expectant mothers to treat discomfort and elevated temperature, which can create significant medical dangers if left untreated.

"In multiple decades of research on the utilization of paracetamol in pregnancy, zero credible investigations has definitively established that the usage of acetaminophen in any stage of gestation results in brain development issues in children," the association said.

The lawsuit cites latest statements from the previous government in claiming the drug is potentially dangerous.

In recent weeks, the former president caused concern from public health officials when he instructed women during pregnancy to "struggle intensely" not to use acetaminophen when unwell.

Federal regulators then published an announcement that doctors should consider limiting the use of Tylenol, while also declaring that "a direct connection" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in young ones has not been established.

The Health Department head Kennedy, who manages the FDA, had vowed in April to undertake "a massive testing and research effort" that would determine the source of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.

But experts advised that discovering a sole reason of autism - believed by scientists to be the result of a intricate combination of genetic and external influences - would be difficult.

Autism is a category of enduring cognitive variation and impairment that impacts how individuals perceive and relate to the surroundings, and is recognized using physician assessments.

In his court filing, Paxton - aligned with the former president who is seeking federal office - asserts the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "willfully ignored and attempted to silence the science" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.

This legal action seeks to make the companies "eliminate any promotional materials" that asserts Tylenol is reliable for pregnant women.

The Texas lawsuit parallels the concerns of a group of guardians of children with autism and ADHD who took legal action against the manufacturers of acetaminophen in 2022.

The court threw out the legal action, stating investigations from the plaintiffs' authorities was not conclusive.