NJ-Based Tylenol Makers Sued Over Autism Claims As Experts Reject Trump's Warning

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

The makers of Tylenol are being sued one month after President Donald Trump linked the popular pain reliever to autism in children, a claim widely debunked by medical experts.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and its spinoff, Kenvue, on Tuesday, Oct. 28. The Republican accuses the New Jersey-based companies of deceptive marketing targeting pregnant women.

Paxton repeated Trump's claims that Tylenol's active ingredient, acetaminophen, raises the risk of autism and other developmental disorders in children.

"Big Pharma betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks," Paxton said in a statement. "These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets. Additionally, seeing that the day of reckoning was coming, Johnson & Johnson attempted to escape responsibility by illegally offloading their liability onto a different company."

Johnson & Johnson spun off Kenvue into a separate company in 2022, allowing J&J to focus on pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Kenvue owns other popular brands like Aveeno, Band-Aid, Lactaid, Listerine, Neutrogena, Visine, and Zyrtec.

In a statement, Kenvue called Paxton's lawsuit "scientifically unfounded."

"We are deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the health of American women and children," the company said. "Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy.  Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives. High fevers and pain are widely recognized as potential risks to a pregnancy if left untreated."

A bottle of Tylenol.

Flickr - Austin Kirk

Kenvue also pointed to the numerous studies that show acetaminophen is safe for infants and children to take as directed.

"We believe there is a deliberate distortion of the facts being driven by the plaintiffs' bar as this latest filing, which is a common tactic used by plaintiffs' lawyers in product liability cases, is yet another attempt to revive legal claims that have already been thrown out of federal court," said Kenvue.

The lawsuit mirrors a recent warning issued by Trump, along with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump ordered the Food and Drug Administration to notify doctors that using Tylenol during pregnancy is associated with a "very increased risk of autism."

Trump made the announcement months after RFK Jr. pledged to find a cure for autism by September.

"Don't take Tylenol," Trump said. "Don't take it. Fight like hell not to take it."

President Donald Trump speaking at a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on October 28, 2025.

Wikimedia Commons - Government of Japan

That announcement was quickly denounced by global health authorities and leading medical organizations, including the World Health Organization, the European Medicines Agency, and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said Trump and RFK Jr.'s claims were "irresponsible," potentially endangering mothers and their children.

"It is highly unsettling that our federal health agencies are willing to make an announcement that will affect the health and well-being of millions of people without the backing of reliable data," said Dr. Steven Fleischman, the organization's president. "In more than two decades of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children."

The Autism Science Foundation also blasted the Trump administration's claims.

"No new data or scientific studies were presented or shared," said Alison Singer, president of the foundation. "No new studies have been published in the literature. No new presentations on this topic were made at scientific or medical conferences. Instead, President Trump talked about what he thinks and feels without offering scientific evidence."

A 2024 study of nearly 2.5 million children in Sweden found no link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and the risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability. While documented cases of autism spectrum disorder have risen in recent years, experts say the increase is largely because of improved screening and broader definitions when diagnosing children.

Kenvue said it will fight back against Paxton's lawsuit.

"We will vigorously defend ourselves against these claims and respond per the legal process," the company said. "We stand firmly with the global medical community that acknowledges the safety of acetaminophen and believe we will continue to be successful in litigation as these claims lack legal merit and scientific support."

Paxton is seeking a jury trial and civil penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation of Texas law.