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Acetaminophen

Texas Attorney General Sues Tylenol Maker, Johnson & Johnson, Over Autism, ADHD Risks

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, and its former parent company, Johnson & Johnson, over allegations that they failed to warn consumers about the potential link between the pain reliever and autism and ADHD in children. The lawsuit claims that the companies continued to sell acetaminophen products despite knowing about the possible connection, which has not been proven by federal health officials. Paxton, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, said the lawsuit aims to hold "Big Pharma" accountable for poisoning Americans.

Key Takeaways:

  • The lawsuit claims that Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson knew about the potential link between Tylenol and autism and ADHD in children as far back as 2014, but failed to inform consumers.
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is beginning a process to change Tylenol's labeling to note that prenatal acetaminophen use "may be associated" with an increased risk of certain developmental disorders.
  • However, the FDA has stated that a causal relationship has not been established, and that acetaminophen remains the only nonprescription fever and pain reliever approved for use during pregnancy.
  • The lawsuit also claims that Johnson & Johnson's own internal research showed a potential connection between acetaminophen and autism, but the company did not make that information public.
  • The case is not the first to raise concerns about the safety of Tylenol, as earlier federal lawsuits were filed by individuals claiming that the pain reliever caused autism in their children.
  • Many of the same arguments have been made in those cases, which were consolidated in 2022 and are currently under appeal.
  • The Informed Consent Action Network, an advocacy group, has urged the FDA to add autism and ADHD warnings to acetaminophen products, but Kenvue has publicly opposed these changes, saying they are "unsupported by the scientific evidence."

Statistics:

  • 2014: The year in which Johnson & Johnson allegedly discovered a potential link between acetaminophen and autism.
  • 2022: The year in which consolidated federal lawsuits were filed by individuals claiming Tylenol caused autism in their children.
  • $%: The percentage of prenatal acetaminophen use "may be associated" with an increased risk of certain developmental disorders, according to the FDA's proposed labeling change.
  • 100: The number of nonprescription fever and pain relievers approved for use during pregnancy, of which acetaminophen is the only option.
  • 2023: The year in which Kenvue was spun off from Johnson & Johnson, resulting in the new company taking on all rights and liabilities for Tylenol.

Sources:

  • The Washington Post, Oct. 28, 2025
  • HealthDay News, Oct. 29, 2025

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