In the Wall Street Journal Health Journal column, Melinda Beck writes that an FDA advisory panel recommended “sweeping limits on acetaminophen, including lowering the maximum daily dose to 2,600 milligrams from 4,000 mg and limiting the amount in a single over-the-counter pill to 325 mg, from 500 mg currently.” The panel’s recommendations also included a ban on “sales of prescription pain relievers that combine opioids with acetaminophen, including Percocet and Vicodin.” But, “acetaminophen-related liver problems occur in just a tiny fraction of the drug’s users.” Still, according to experts, the “reputation for safety may be lulling consumers into complacency,” and as a result, they “don’t think twice about popping more than the recommended amount.” Pain specialists also note that “it’s hard to get patients to focus on how much acetaminophen they are taking.” Beck contends, however, that “any possible action” by the FDA “is likely to take years,” and until then, “consumers should check for acetaminophen levels, even on products they have used for years.”
From the American Association for Justice news release.
