By Jonathan Stempel
Reuters
Posted October 28, 2025 10:38 am
1 min read
Descrease article font size
Increase article font size
The makers of Tylenol, Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue, were sued on Tuesday by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused them of knowingly hiding the drug’s links to autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Paxton, a Republican, sued five weeks after Republican President Donald Trump said using Tylenol during pregnancy can cause autism in children. Trump is not a doctor, and his claim is unproven and not backed by scientific evidence.
Johnson & Johnson sold Tylenol for more than six decades, and its former Kenvue unit has sold it since 2023 after being spun off. The pain reliever is known generically as acetaminophen.
4:27
‘Don’t take Tylenol’: Trump, US health officials tie use to autism
Trending Now
B.C. will go ahead with anti-tariff ads despite Trump blow-up over Ontario
Will Bank of Canada cut interest rates again this week? What economists say
Kenvue has repeatedly defended Tylenol’s safety, and in a statement said it would defend against Paxton’s lawsuit.
Story continues below advertisement
“Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy,” Kenvue said. “We are deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen.”
In a separate statement, Johnson & Johnson did not comment on Paxton’s lawsuit, and said Kenvue is responsible for “all rights and liabilities associated with the sale of its over-the-counter products, including Tylenol.”
More on Health
More videos