What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Valmy]

That would be concerning if anybody ever went to government websites.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

I have six different NOAA tabs pinned in my browser right now...

[Savonarola]

Big Pharma about to get its comeuppance at last, deep in the heart of Texas:

From ABC

Texas AG sues makers of Tylenol, claiming they hid alleged links to autism

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the makers of Tylenol, Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue, claiming that they deceptively marketed the over-the-counter medication to pregnant women despite alleged links to autism and other disorders.

"Big Pharma betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks," Paxton said in a statement on Tuesday. "These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets. ... By holding Big Pharma accountable for poisoning our people, we will help Make America Healthy Again."

This is the first lawsuit from a state government since President Donald Trump claimed in September that Tylenol use during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of autism, despite limited evidence to suggest an association -- and no evidence that it causes autism, according to major medical organizations.

Johnson & Johnson sold the drug for decades and its consumer health division spinoff, Kenvue Inc., has been selling the drug since 2023.

In a statement, Kenvue pushed back on the attorney general's claims, saying it is "deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the health of American women and children."

"Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy. Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives. High fevers and pain are widely recognized as potential risks to a pregnancy if left untreated," the statement read.

"We will defend ourselves against these baseless claims and respond per the legal process. We stand firmly with the global medical community that acknowledges the safety of acetaminophen and believe we will continue to be successful in litigation as these claims lack legal merit and scientific support," the statement continued.

Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy blasted the lawsuit and said it should be thrown out "because the evidence is weak."

"I'm a doctor, so I'm always going to go where the medical science lands and the best evidence is there's no relationship," Cassidy, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, told ABC News.

The Louisiana Senator, who chairs the chamber's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee, concluded that Texas AG Ken Paxton shouldn't be suing if there's a coincidental linkage between some Tylenol use in pregnant mothers and the risk of the disorders without ample evidence.

Cassidy suggested to ABC News that the suit should be thrown out because the "evidence is weak."

Studies have been mixed on whether acetaminophen is linked to a higher risk of ADHD or autism, but no published study has found a direct cause and effect. Some studies point to a possible link, but major medical groups maintain that acetaminophen is safe in moderation, as described on the packaging, during pregnancy.

During Trump's press conference last month, federal officials cited an August 2025 meta-analysis from researchers at Mt. Sinai, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and UMass Lowell that found prenatal exposure to acetaminophen may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and ADHD, in children.

However, the authors of the meta-analysis said their work does not prove Tylenol taken during pregnancy causes autism and did not recommend that pregnant patients stop using Tylenol.

An April 2024 study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in JAMA, found that using acetaminophen during pregnancy was not linked to an increased risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability in children.

In a statement, last month, Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), said the medical group continues to recommend acetaminophen as the safest painkiller during pregnancy.

"Suggestions that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism are not only highly concerning to clinicians but also irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients, including those who may need to rely on this beneficial medicine during pregnancy," Fleischman said.

As recently as last weekend, Trump posted on social media, again urging pregnant women not to take Tylenol unless absolutely necessary and for them not to give the medication to their young children.

Paxton, a Republican, is running for Senate and competing against GOP Sen. John Cornyn in the primary next year. The race is a competitive one and some of Paxton's action appear to align with the priorities of Trump.

Paxton challenged the results of the 2020 presidential election after Trump falsely claimed it was stolen and he also asked the state's highest court to expel Democratic statehouse legislators from office after they fled the state over Republican efforts to pass a new congressional map that could create up to five new GOP seats.

A similar civil suit against Kenvue was thrown out of court by a judge citing a lack of evidence, which is under appeal with hearings set in November in New York.

(Not to pick on Texas, I could just as easily imagine a case like this being filed in Florida.)

[The Minsky Moment]

I pick on Texas because they made a man like Ken Paxton their top legal officer instead of a felony convict, despite knowing exactly what he is.