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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the manufacturers of Tylenol, asserting the corporations hid potential risks that the medication posed to children's cognitive development.

The court filing follows a month after President Donald Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between consuming acetaminophen - referred to as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in children.

The attorney general is taking legal action against J&J, which previously sold the drug, the sole analgesic approved for expectant mothers, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.

In a statement, he stated they "deceived the public by gaining financially from discomfort and promoting medication without regard for the dangers."

Kenvue says there is insufficient reliable data tying acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.

"These manufacturers misled for generations, deliberately risking millions to boost earnings," the attorney general, from the Republican party, said.

Kenvue said in a statement that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the likely effects that could have on the welfare of women and children in America."

On its official site, Kenvue also stated it had "consistently assessed the applicable studies and there is no credible data that demonstrates a established connection between consuming acetaminophen and autism."

Associations representing physicians and health professionals concur.

The leading OB-GYN organization has declared paracetamol - the key substance in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for women during pregnancy to treat discomfort and elevated temperature, which can pose serious health risks if ignored.

"In more than two decades of investigation on the consumption of paracetamol in pregnancy, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the consumption of acetaminophen in any period of gestation causes neurological conditions in young ones," the group stated.

The lawsuit references latest statements from the Trump administration in claiming the drug is allegedly unsafe.

In recent weeks, the former president generated worry from public health officials when he told pregnant women to "fight like hell" not to take Tylenol when ill.

The US Food and Drug Administration then published an announcement that medical professionals should contemplate reducing the use of Tylenol, while also declaring that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in children has not been proven.

Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who oversees the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in spring to initiate "extensive scientific investigation" that would identify the source of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.

But specialists advised that identifying a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a complex mix of inherited and environmental factors - would be difficult.

Autism is a type of lifelong neurodivergence and impairment that affects how individuals encounter and interact with the environment, and is identified using medical professional evaluations.

In his legal document, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is running for federal office - claims Kenvue and J&J "deliberately disregarded and sought to suppress the science" around acetaminophen and autism.

The case seeks to make the firms "remove any promotional materials" that claims acetaminophen is safe for women during pregnancy.

This legal action mirrors the grievances of a collection of guardians of children with autism and ADHD who filed suit against the makers of acetaminophen in 2022.

The court dismissed the lawsuit, declaring research from the plaintiffs' authorities was lacking definitive proof.