The Food and Drug Administration is urging stronger warnings on products containing acetaminophen, the main ingredient in nearly 200 over-the-counter cold, headache and pain remedies, including Tylenol.
Acetaminophen is considered to be the most widely used pain reliever in the world. The recommended dose is no more than four grams per day, though even that can cause liver damage when taken with three or more alcoholic drinks.
About 100 deaths and more than 2,000 hospitalizations occur each year as a result of acetaminophen overdoses. According to the Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee, many consumers inadvertently take more than one product containing the drug.
The Committee also cautioned that excessive doses of aspirin can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding, while too much ibuprofen, the main ingredient in Advil and Motrin, increases the risk of kidney damage.