Healthy Bytes

Warning: can destroy your liver while relieving your pain

read time: 186 words, about a minute

Rather amazingly, the FDA has proposed stronger warnings for over the counter (OTC) acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

(Mind you, the Advisory Review Panel recommended stronger warnings in 1977. Guess they’re just getting around to it).

Products with acetaminophen are advised to contain warnings about liver toxicity especially when taken in high doses and/or with alcohol.

NSAID produxt labels are advised to warn about stomach bleeding especially in:
folks over 60,
folks who have had or do have an ulcer,
folks taking a blood thinner,
when taken with alcohol,
when taking for an extended period of time,
when taking multiple NSAID products

READ THE LABEL of OTC products. Many products such as cold medications may contain acetaminophen and/or NSAIDs.

So, now that these products have been on the market for so long without these warnings, do you think anyone will change their useage habits? Will commercials for these products change… you know pop a “safe” pill and all your pain and worries melt away.

According to the FDA’s Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee in 2002 there were more than 26,000 and 458 deaths due to acetaminophen.

This entry was posted on Thu, 21.Dec.2006 at 10:56 am and is filed under Pharmaceuticals. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.