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The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers of acetaminophen, alleging the firms hid safety concerns that the pain reliever presented to pediatric neurological development.

The court filing comes four weeks after President Donald Trump promoted an unverified association between using acetaminophen - referred to as acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism in children.

The attorney general is filing suit against J&J, which formerly manufactured the drug, the exclusive pain medication approved for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which presently makes it.

In a statement, he said they "betrayed America by profiting off of pain and promoting medication ignoring the risks."

The company states there is no credible evidence tying Tylenol to autism.

"These companies lied for decades, intentionally threatening countless individuals to line their pockets," the attorney general, a Republican, declared.

The manufacturer said in a statement that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of paracetamol and the potential impact that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."

On its website, Kenvue also said it had "continuously evaluated the applicable studies and there is lacking reliable evidence that indicates a established connection between using paracetamol and autism."

Associations acting on behalf of doctors and health professionals concur.

The leading OB-GYN organization has stated acetaminophen - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for expectant mothers to address pain and elevated temperature, which can pose significant medical dangers if not addressed.

"In multiple decades of research on the consumption of acetaminophen in pregnancy, no reliable research has conclusively proven that the consumption of paracetamol in any period of gestation results in neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the association said.

The court filing references current declarations from the former administration in asserting the drug is potentially dangerous.

Recently, Trump caused concern from medical authorities when he instructed pregnant women to "fight like hell" not to take Tylenol when sick.

The US Food and Drug Administration then issued a notice that medical professionals should consider limiting the consumption of Tylenol, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism in children has not been established.

The Health Department head Robert F Kennedy Jr, who supervises the FDA, had pledged in spring to conduct "comprehensive study program" that would identify the origin of autism in a short period.

But experts warned that identifying a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the consequence of a complex mix of genetic and external influences - would be difficult.

Autism is a form of permanent neurological difference and impairment that influences how persons experience and relate to the environment, and is identified using medical professional evaluations.

In his legal document, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is campaigning for US Senate - asserts the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the research" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.

The case aims to force the firms "eliminate any promotional materials" that asserts acetaminophen is reliable for women during pregnancy.

This legal action mirrors the grievances of a assembly of mothers and fathers of young ones with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD who sued the makers of Tylenol in 2022.

A federal judge rejected the lawsuit, stating studies from the parents' expert witnesses was inconclusive.