Oct 28 (Reuters) - The makers of Tylenol, Johnson &

Johnson ( JNJ ) 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 Republican

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 ( JNJ ) 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 ( JNJ ) 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."