Texas Attorney General Paxton is suing the manufacturers of acetaminophen, asserting the corporations withheld potential risks that the medication presented to pediatric cognitive development.
The lawsuit comes four weeks after Former President Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between using Tylenol - also known as paracetamol - throughout gestation and autism spectrum disorder in children.
Paxton is taking legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, which previously sold the medication, the sole analgesic approved for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which currently produces it.
In a statement, he claimed they "deceived the public by profiting off of pain and marketing drugs regardless of the potential hazards."
The manufacturer says there is lacking scientific proof connecting acetaminophen to autism.
"These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets," Paxton, from the Republican party, stated.
The company said in a statement that it was "very worried by the spread of false claims on the reliability of paracetamol and the possible consequences that could have on the welfare of US mothers and children."
On its website, the company also stated it had "consistently assessed the applicable studies and there is insufficient valid information that indicates a proven link between taking paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder."
Organizations speaking for medical professionals and health professionals concur.
The leading OB-GYN organization has said paracetamol - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for women during pregnancy to treat discomfort and elevated temperature, which can pose significant medical dangers if not addressed.
"In over twenty years of research on the consumption of paracetamol in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the usage of paracetamol in any stage of gestation results in brain development issues in children," the group commented.
This legal action references current declarations from the Trump administration in arguing the medication is allegedly unsafe.
Recently, the former president raised alarms from public health officials when he instructed expectant mothers to "struggle intensely" not to use acetaminophen when sick.
The FDA then issued a notice that physicians should contemplate reducing the consumption of acetaminophen, while also mentioning that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in children has not been established.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who oversees the Food and Drug Administration, had pledged in spring to undertake "a massive testing and research effort" that would determine the cause of autism in a matter of months.
But experts warned that discovering a sole reason of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a complex mix of genetic and surrounding conditions - would not be simple.
Autism is a category of permanent neurological difference and impairment that influences how persons experience and relate to the world, and is identified using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, Paxton - who supports Trump who is campaigning for the Senate - asserts the manufacturer and J&J "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the evidence" around paracetamol and autism.
The lawsuit attempts to require the companies "remove any commercial messaging" that states Tylenol is safe for pregnant women.
This legal action mirrors the concerns of a assembly of parents of young ones with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the producers of Tylenol in recently.
Judicial authorities dismissed the lawsuit, stating investigations from the parents' expert witnesses was lacking definitive proof.
