FDA seeks to ban narcotics mixed with acetaminophen

Because people love to pop pharmaceutical painkillers the FDA has had to deal with an unforeseen issue: the acetaminophen in these pills is more dangerous than the narcotic, causing liver damage for people who chronically consume pills large amounts.

Government experts say prescription drugs like Vicodin and Percocet that combine a popular painkiller with stronger narcotics should be eliminated because of their role in deadly overdoses.
A Food and Drug Administration panel on Tuesday voted 20-17 that prescription drugs that combine acetaminophen with other painkilling ingredients should be pulled off the market.
The FDA has assembled a group of experts to vote on ways to reduce liver damage associated with acetaminophen, one of the most widely used drugs in the U.S.
Despite years of educational campaigns and other federal actions, acetaminophen remains the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S., according to the FDA.
Panelists cited FDA data indicating 60 percent of acetaminophen-related deaths are related to prescription products. Acetaminophen is also found in popular over-the-counter medications like Tylenol and Excedrin.

And here's the video...

» more at: www.10news.com

Posted By jamesk at 2009-07-01 11:46:18 permalink | comments

» More ways to bookmark this page

Vice. : 2013-12-24 19:51:09

What year did they start adding liver killing acetaminophen?

Zack. : 2011-02-21 16:07:25

Yeah man it is retarded that they do that.. i don't understand why the government cannot just make things EASY FOR US?! we are gonna get high so the fuck what why add poision to our drugs to make us sick when we do.. its okay to kill thousands of people with a supposedly "safe" drug but if you grow a little weed SWAT is going to be kicking in your door and shooting your dog

karen. : 2010-03-19 12:06:56

The tylenol SHOULD be taken out. Here's the problem. Sometimes I just don't want Darvocet or a Percocet for pain. I want to take just 3 tylenol. BUT if I take the 3 tylenol, and they don't work, then what ?? All I have left to take for the pain is yet another medication ALSO with tylenol . The only thing the DEA did when they decided to put tylenol in EVERYTHING is force people into their narcotics FIRST instead of trying the non-narcotic /tylenol first. You don't dare, what if that doesn't work. Just stupid. I have found myself in this fix multiple times.

123. : 2009-08-12 18:49:15

These pills are prescribed by doctors - they should know what dose is appropriate for their patients. (Otherwise, it's malpractice, which I'm sure they would want to avoid.) I don't believe the government should get involved.

cdin. : 2009-07-02 15:14:48

wow. thank god, seriously, this is a terrible issue for many people. im amazed!

dreamdust. : 2009-07-01 21:24:40

People: THIS IS A GOOD THING!

The FDA actually did something in the peoples interest. Less addicts will die, patients will still be able to get acetaminophen and opiates, resulting in safer use of our medications.

This just bars medications that combine acetaminophen and opiates in the same pill. You'll still be able to buy both and take them at the same time.

Acme_Rocket. : 2009-07-01 21:18:58

By the way, when did it get so hard for people to ADD UP THE AMOUNT OF MEDICATION YOU TAKE IN A DAY?!?!

Acme_Rocket. : 2009-07-01 21:15:31

"Panelists cited FDA data indicating 60 percent of acetaminophen-related deaths are related to prescription products" The sadder part of this fact is the majority of those acetoaminophen deaths are intentional, that is suicides.
If drugs like aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen were invented today they'd never get approved by the FDA. The reason they still exist however is because they have been around so long, have been exposed to a very large population, and have been extensively studied. The side-effects and interactions are simply so well known now that the benefit greatly outweighs the harm among the general population.

Psy-Ko. : 2009-07-01 13:29:51

Ok people, lots of mis-information out there. Percocet is oxy and APAP, vicodin is hydro and APAP. They say these drugs will be taken off the market, thats sort of true but not really, the narcotics oxy and hydro will still be prescribed, they just won't have the APAP with them. If you're so worried about that and don't mind killing off your liver & kidneys you can just buy a bottle of tylenol, thats all APA is people and thats the only part being disallowed. I guess literally - these drugs will no longer be available because those formulations or mixtures won't be available but you can still get your narcotic painkiller and you can still get your OTC painkiller. The thing is people who don't read or understand labels, or people who abuse painkillers will not understand about the APAP and take way too much of it in order to get more of the narcotic. It's a law to protect ignorant people.

Also for anyone who doesn't know, you can get your doctor to write a script of either oxy or hydro without the APAP now. You'll have to take it to a pharmacy that can actually formulate medications and not just transfer pills from one big bottle into little bottles (watch your pharmacist, thats all most of them do) Even pharmacies that have pharmacists that can do this may not like to because it actually makes them work. Push for it, be assertive, make them do their jobs!

erocx1 : 2009-07-01 13:26:14

Forgot to mention this biggest risk factor. Tolerance. Patients are forced to continually up their dose. Next thing they know (or don’t know) is they are taking grams of acetaminophen to compensate for the opiate tolerance.

erocx1 : 2009-07-01 13:21:16

I always thought acetaminophen was intentionally added to prescription drugs in an attempt to detour abuse. Sorta like spraying poison on morning glory seeds. What big pharma fails to realize is the drive to get high exceeds most health risks. As demonstrated by millions of people who smoke or drink in excess despite knowing the risks of liver & lung damage. If 2 or 3 pills are safe, why not 6 or 8? Not to mention people with damaged organs only means more money for the medical industry. The obvious solution is to remove the toxic acetaminophen and start prescribing pure opiates or is that just wishful thinking?

Psy-Ko. : 2009-07-01 13:18:50

Hey rOY - Oxycodone (percs) and hydrocodone (vics) will still be available, They just won't have the APAP mixed in, when you get a 5/500 perc you're only getting 5mg of oxy and 500 of APAP (tylenol) Supposedly the APAP somehow potentiates the oxy although some people don't agree. So you'll get oxy5's insted of 5/500's and if you truly believe you need the APAP with it you buy a bottle of 500mg tylenols to take with them. No problems really and it may save a lot of dummies livers & kdneys!

Ryan. : 2009-07-01 12:53:11

Smoke weed instead. A harmless painkiller

Yay! . : 2009-07-01 12:53:08

I've been wishing they would do this for years. I'll take some vicodin but then be freaked out about taking more because I didn't want to damage my liver. A small victory for the little guy!

rOY. : 2009-07-01 12:30:55

what r the ppl like me supposed to do about the pain were in then?!?!

The comments posted here do not reflect the views of the owners of this site.

Follow DoseNation

» More subscription options

FDA seeks to ban narcotics mixed with acetaminophen

Posted By jamesk at 2009-07-01 11:46:18 permalink | comments

Follow DoseNation

Recently @ DoseNation