The Unsafe Side of Tylenol

Why did Tylenol bottles get red warning labels?

Tylenol, the most used and abused drug in every household, began carrying red labels on each bottle — a warning alert that over-consumption of the drug causes liver damage. (NBC News reported the move in 2013.)

In the case of Advil, Aspirin, and ibuprofen, people are largely aware that these drugs do cause liver damage when consumed in excess. But after decades of research and many people dying of Tylenol overdose, it seems even a slight overdose of Tylenol is damaging to the liver.

How dangerous is acetaminophen overdose?

Tylenol contains acetaminophen, a leading cause of sudden liver failure. Overdose of acetaminophen sends close to 80,000 people to ER rooms in the US every year, and almost 500 people die from Tylenol overdose and liver failure annually. In India, the most common acetaminophen drug is Paracetamol.

Acetaminophen is a pain reliever sold over the counter. Tylenol is the brand name for acetaminophen. Since it's easily accessible, people often go over the safe dosage. With Tylenol, it is dangerous to go beyond the safe levels printed on the box. If two pills relieve your pain, taking three or four pills is not going to be better — for most people it is damaging. At the time, adults were advised never to go over 4,000 mg of acetaminophen a day. Tylenol is the most popular brand of acetaminophen, but many other drugs contain acetaminophen, especially cold and flu drugs.

Were there lawsuits against the manufacturer?

There have been many lawsuits against McNeil-PPC Inc, the manufacturer of Tylenol. Critics argued the company knew the risks for years but failed to adequately inform the public — warning labels existed, but were in extremely small print that nobody bothered to read.

Is Tylenol safe for children?

Tylenol is the most common drug given to children when they have fever or cold. If care is not taken in carefully measuring the dosage, children can easily be overdosed. Acetaminophen should never be paired with alcohol.

There is no reason to totally avoid acetaminophen — but effort must be put into reading labels and never going beyond the recommended safe dosage.

General information only, not medical advice. Consult a doctor or pharmacist about safe dosing.