Texas sues Tylenol makers J&J and Kenvue, claiming they hid drug’s autism risks

Tylenol pain-relief pills are shown in La Habra, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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 U.S. 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.

Kenvue has repeatedly defended Tylenol’s safety, and in a statement said it would defend against Paxton’s lawsuit.

“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.”

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)