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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the makers of acetaminophen, claiming the companies concealed alleged dangers that the pain reliever created to pediatric cognitive development.

The lawsuit arrives four weeks after President Donald Trump promoted an unproven link between consuming Tylenol - also known as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism in young ones.

The attorney general is suing J&J, which formerly manufactured the medication, the only pain reliever recommended for pregnant women, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.

In a official comment, he said they "misled consumers by gaining financially from pain and pushing pills regardless of the dangers."

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

"These companies deceived for years, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets," Paxton, from the Republican party, said.

Kenvue commented that it was "deeply concerned by the spread of false claims on the reliability of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the welfare of women and children in America."

On its online platform, Kenvue also mentioned it had "regularly reviewed the pertinent research and there is no credible data that indicates a proven link between using acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."

Organizations acting on behalf of medical professionals and healthcare providers agree.

The leading OB-GYN organization has said acetaminophen - the key substance in Tylenol - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to address pain and fever, which can create major wellness concerns if ignored.

"In more than two decades of research on the consumption of acetaminophen in gestation, zero credible investigations has successfully concluded that the use of paracetamol in any stage of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring," the association said.

This legal action references recent announcements from the former administration in claiming the drug is reportedly hazardous.

Last month, the former president raised alarms from health experts when he advised pregnant women to "struggle intensely" not to use acetaminophen when sick.

The FDA then published an announcement that physicians should contemplate reducing the consumption of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in minors has remains unverified.

Health Secretary RFK Jr, who oversees the FDA, had pledged in spring to undertake "comprehensive study program" that would identify the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.

But experts cautioned that identifying a unique factor of autism - believed by scientists to be the consequence of a complicated interplay of inherited and external influences - would prove challenging.

Autism is a form of enduring cognitive variation and impairment that impacts how individuals perceive and relate to the surroundings, and is diagnosed using doctors' observations.

In his legal document, Paxton - aligned with the former president who is seeking the Senate - claims Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "willfully ignored and attempted to silence the science" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.

The lawsuit attempts to require the companies "eliminate any marketing or advertising" that claims acetaminophen is secure for expectant mothers.

The Texas lawsuit echoes the grievances of a group of guardians of minors with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the manufacturers of acetaminophen in 2022.

A federal judge threw out the lawsuit, saying studies from the parents' expert witnesses was lacking definitive proof.