The war against Tylenol continues, with Texas taking a swing at the over-the-counter drug.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is demanding that Tylenol’s makers stop advertising the product as safe for pregnant women and children, filing a request for a temporary restraining order in federal court this week. The filing follows a lawsuit he launched just days earlier, accusing Johnson & Johnson and its spin-off Kenvue of hiding potential dangers linked to the drug.
“Kenvue continues to falsely assure Texans that Tylenol is entirely safe — contrary to the specific instructions of the federal health authorities and indeed the President of the United States,” Paxton argued in court documents.
That “instruction” came from former President Donald Trump, who told reporters in September that pregnant women should avoid Tylenol and “tough it out” instead. He admitted his advice was based on “common sense,” not scientific proof.
The FDA took a more measured approach the same day, advising doctors to consider limiting acetaminophen use during pregnancy, citing studies that suggest a link to autism. Still, the agency stressed that other research showed no clear connection.
Kenvue hit back at the lawsuit, saying it was “politically and financially motivated” and promised to fight what it called “scientifically unsound theories.”
Texas also asked the judge to freeze any major financial moves by Kenvue that could reduce its ability to pay damages. The state is the first to file such a lawsuit since the federal guidance about pregnancy and Tylenol was made public.
