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Tylenol manufacturer Johnson & Johnson announced Thursday that they are lowering the maximum daily dosage of Tylenol in an attempt to lessen instances of acetaminophen overdose, the leading cause of liver damage.
The current dosage of 4,000 mg per day or eight pills will be lowered to 3,000 mg per day or six pills.
Tylenol’s main ingredient acetaminophen is a common painkiller found in many medications, both prescription and over-the-counter. Doctors say that people not following directions on labels as well as mixing medications is dangerous and one of the main catalysts for the dosage change.
“Acetaminophen is safe when used as directed,” Vice President of Over-the-Counter Medical Affairs Edwin Kuffner, MD said in a statement. “But when too much is taken, it can cause liver damage.”
Acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S., sending 56, 000 Americans the hospital each year. Acetaminophen overdose is also responsible for up to 400 deaths per year.
Even strong prescription medications like Vicodin contain acetaminophen. But when the Food and Drug Administration asked drug makers to reduce the amount of acetaminophen in medications by half, drug manufacturers responded by saying that only 20 percent of the acetaminophen used in the U.S. comes from prescription medication. The figure indicates that the majority of acetaminophen overdose cases come from people taking the drug directly.
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“[People] don’t think they have to stick to the recommended daily dose,” Dr. Michael Wolf, associate division chief of General Internal Medicine at Northwestern University, told ABC News.
Wolf feels that Tylenol manufacturer Johnson & Johnson is moving in the right direction, but more needs to be done.
“Next we need to work on public awareness of what’s in [medicine], and how it can harm you. We need to help people understand that there’s a limit to how much [medicine] can be taken in a day and why it’s important not to take too much.”
The dosage change will take affect for Extra Strength Tylenol by fall of this year and for other Johnson & Johnson products containing acetaminophen in 2012.
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