Risks of Liver Damage and Death Form Basis for Concern
The new instructions will reduce the maximum daily dose from 8 pills per day to 6 pills per day, and change the dosing interval from every 4 to 6 hours to every 6 hours. Johnson & Johnson’s website includes information about the proposed new instructions, but does not mention the risks of fatal acetaminophen overdose.
These changes come at a time when Johnson & Johnson is facing dozens of personal injury lawsuits that blame Tylenol for liver injuries and deaths. It is believed that each year, approximately 1 million Americans suffer liver damage from acetaminophen use, and many of those cases are preventable. In 2009, the FDA mandated that all acetaminophen products carry a warning about the risk of “severe liver damage” when not taken as directed. The FDA is now considering safety proposals that could curtail the use of acetaminophen products, including recommending elimination of the extra-strength formulation for over the counter versions.
If you have been injured as a result of Extra Strength Tylenol use, contact Lopez McHugh. Additional information on Extra Strength Tylenol litigation can be found here.