"Big Pharma betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks," thundered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, as his office unleashed a blistering lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson.
The filing accuses the Tylenol giant of endangering generations by downplaying autism and ADHD links to prenatal acetaminophen use, Breitbart reported.
Texas officials, backed by a stack of studies and federal warnings, are demanding accountability from a corporate behemoth that allegedly dodged billions in damages through shady maneuvers.
But that wasn’t the only revelation.
The Lone Star State’s case centers on Johnson & Johnson’s alleged failure to warn pregnant women about acetaminophen’s dangers, the active ingredient in Tylenol.
Violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act, the company supposedly peddled Tylenol as the sole safe painkiller for expectant mothers, even as evidence mounted.
Twenty-six epidemiological studies, including eight showing dose-response ties to autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, form the backbone of the claims.
What kind of corporate calculus ignores that kind of science?
Here’s what to know: Prenatal exposure to acetaminophen has been linked in research to heightened risks of neurodevelopmental disorders, a connection the federal government recently affirmed.
President Donald Trump, in a September announcement, joined Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to spotlight the peril.
“First, effective immediately, the FDA will be notifying physicians that the use of acetaminophen — which is basically commonly known as Tylenol, during pregnancy can be associated with a very increased risk of autism,” Trump declared.
That federal reckoning has arrived, validating the studies Texas cites and amplifying the lawsuit’s urgency.
The suit paints Johnson & Johnson as a villain in a broader tale of pharmaceutical overreach, but the company’s defenders might counter that correlation isn’t causation and warnings evolved with science.
Texas alleges the firm knew the day of reckoning was coming and acted ruthlessly.
To protect its empire, Johnson & Johnson allegedly funneled Tylenol liabilities to its spinoff, Kenvue Inc. and Kenvue Brands LLC, breaching the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act.
This move, the state claims, was designed to shield ill-gotten assets from harmed families.
Here’s how we got here: From viral 2017 and 2019 Tylenol X posts admitting untested use in pregnancy, to Trump’s directive for the FDA to alert doctors and urge limiting the drug unless medically necessary.
Old admissions resurfaced like ghosts after the filing, with one post stating, “We actually don’t recommend using any of our products while pregnant.”
Critics of the suit might argue such transfers are standard business, yet Paxton fired back: “These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets.”
Do you agree with that reasoning? Many Texans clearly don’t, as the case eyes tens of billions in damages for widespread harm.
And it’s far from over, with warnings of insufficient funds to compensate victims if the asset shuffle holds.
For everyday Americans, the message is clear: Trust in over-the-counter staples like Tylenol, once a household hero, now demands scrutiny amid this betrayal of basic safeguards.
Paxton’s vow to hold Big Pharma accountable echoes the MAGA call to make America healthy again, prioritizing families over profits.
That thundering condemnation from the attorney general underscores a policy failure long in the making.
The next courtroom clash could expose more cracks in corporate armor — and redefine safeguards for the vulnerable.
