An advisory panel to the FDA issued a Tylenol recommendation today. The advisory panel voted 20-17 to remove prescription drugs such as Vicoden and Percocet which were ruled danagerous because they combine narcotics with acetaminophen which can cause severe liver damage if an overdose occurs.
Tylenol and Tylenol PM
This ruling is not binding upon the FDA, but they generally follow these types of recommendations. So what does this mean? Well, it means that most likely you will see the over the counter Tylenol have its dosage reduced and most likely the drugs Vicoden and Percocet will be taken off the market.
In a story reported on CNN the following was stated:
The group recommended that the FDA “send a clear message that there’s a high likelihood of overdose from prescription narcotics and acetaminophen products,” Dr. Sandra L. Kweder of the FDA’s Office of New Drugs said at a news conference after Tuesday’s meeting.
It also appears that this panel is going to make recommendations in changing how these types of drugs are formulated and made available for children. This seems to be a valid concern given the number of people who visit and emergency room due to overdoses of acetaminophen.
I have no problem with the FDA taking steps to make our medicine safe and to do what is necessary to prevent the public heath from being injured, but what I do not want to see is the FDA expand into areas beyond its authority. Do I think the FDA has a place in the U.S.? Absolutely. Medication isn’t quite like other items for public consumption where if you take it and it doesn’t work then you just move on. Taking medication is more serious than that and the consequences could be dire. I believe this is one of those limited issues where we should tolerate government intrusion in our lives, but we need to make sure it doesn’t expand beyond what was originally intended.
Tylenol Warning
The FDA Tylenol recommendation made by this panel is not binding, but it won’t surprise me one bit to see them follow the recommendation. Especially where Vicoden and Percocet have been ruled unsafe, expect the FDA to impost limits, or outright bans, on future use of these medications.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:55 am
Why not try to educate people about how much Tylenol is in all these products instead of eliminating it. Education is the key, lots of people don’t realize that tylenol has such damaging effects on the liver. I’ve been an Rn for 10 years and have only taken care of one person who overdosed on tylenol. There are definately better solutions to this problem than eliminating pain medications that are effective. Sorry sir I can’t give you a Percocet it might damage your liver-here have an oxycontin - maybe we can turn you into a junkie istead.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:14 am
I just left the following comment at RP but I want to know…is there a lawfirm out there that will represent those of us that actually need our meds?
Ok…it’s high time we held people accountable for their own actions. If you take too much Tylenol, etc..shame on you. I, however, should not be penalized for others stupidity. I currently take Vicodin HP, and other meds that are addictive but do not ever exceed the maximum dosage. Vicodin does not eliminate pain, it makes it tolerable. I also use a pain patch, which enables me to manage the pain from cancer…why am I going to have to suffer because of a handful of @$$holes? We have am administration that now thinks they are all MD’s? WTF??????? And by the way…I have never gotten *high* from meds…tired, a bit goofy at times, but nothing has ever approached the *high* one gets from a bottle of good wine. Since I cannot drink, what the hell am I suppose to do now? I will not suffer quietly.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:52 am
This is insane. I have been living with chronic cervical problems since 12/2007. Unless you have ever experienced the pain from a herniation or bulging disc on a nerve, you would never understand. I used to work in personal injury and I used to sit right across from people suffering with neck and back injuries and think to myself, how bad can it be? Yes, it is that bad!!! I luckly, do not need meds now, but at that time, yes, I did! So, basically, alcohol is legal and that, correct me if I am wrong, causes liver damage but the FDA is going to take medication on the market that actually does provide people with some relief and quality of life from whatever is causing them pain. Let’s get our priorities in line and than formulate a plan…But again, we still have Zoloft, Prozac and all kinds of antidepressants, why? because Pharm. companies make billions of dollars off of these meds. People, pay attention, do you really think the FDA or the government care if you have liver damage?!!!!
July 1st, 2009 at 5:31 pm
This is absurd! I just recently was diagnosed with a rare brain disorder called Arnold’s Chiari Malformation. Along with that comes some other rare disorders, tethered cord syndrome, EDS (Ether’s Danlos Syndrome) which is a connective tissue disorder. The ACM (Arnold’s Chiari Malformation) alone, causes well over 100 neurological conditions! There is no cure for this disease. It is hereditary and congenital. My mother and my siser have this as well. Both my sister as well as myself pray every day in hopes our children do not have this. People with this disease usually do not become symptomatic until their 30’s. Unfortunatly, many younger do have symptoms. I, now have to depend on prescripton narcotic pain medications just to be able to get out of bed in the morning and to be able to function “comfortably” NO med’s out there will ever make you “pain free”, but I do depend on my medications to be able to function. I did not ask to have this disease, and nor is it fair to my 6yr old daughter. She needs a Mother, not an invalid!
I am so sick to my stomach of hearing in the news every day of some #$$holes who have yet robbed another pharmacy! It is disgusting and it gives the people who truely do need their meds a “bad name”.
How can the FDA say these meds are dangerous?? But yet any jackass can walk into a store and buy alcohol and that is not considered dangerous??? What about all the alcoholics out there drinking every day, ruining their Liver????? Why not Ban Alcohol?? I think it’s time the FDA, Government etc… get their heads out of their *#$sses and take a good hard look at what their priorities Should be???