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Too Much Acetaminophen Can Be Deadly

A January 22, 2004 article by the Associated Press reports that increasingly, too many Americans are accidentally overdosing on the over-the-counter pain reliever acetaminophen, best known as Tylenol.

In a new consumer education campaign, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a warning for consumers to follow the directions on the labels of all
over-the-counter pain relievers in order to avoid dangerous or potentially lethal side effects.

Acetaminophen topped the FDA’s warning list since it is in more than 600 products that treat pain, colds, flu and coughs.

The FDA warns that acetaminophen overdose is common since many people don’t read drug labels and combine different medications containing the drug. Sometimes people take extra pills in hopes of faster pain relief. In either case, taking too much acetaminophen can damage the liver beyond repair.

In 2002 the FDA’s own scientific advisors urged that warning labels be placed directly on the labels of over-the-counter painkillers to make sure consumers are aware of the risk.

This campaign falls well short of those recommendations since the FDA has decided to only allot $20,000 for development of an informational brochure that the FDA hopes will be distributed by pharmacy chains. The FDA also hopes major magazines will run the ads for free.

According to the FDA, more than 56,000 emergency room visits and approximately 100 deaths a year are due to acetaminophen overdoses.

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