News

Johnson and Johnson Gives Tylenol A New Red Cap Warning Of Liver Failure from Overdosing

By

Johnson and Johnson announced its pain reliever Tylenol will be re-released with red warning labels on their caps to let consumers know the dangers of too much acetaminophen intake, Bloomberg reported.

"Contains acetaminophen: always read the label," will be the new warning label on each Tylenol bottle. Acetaminophen is the primary ingredient in Tylenol and is the leading cause of sudden liver failure.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been looking into regulating the intake of the compound and has set a limit of 4,000 milligrams per day for adults, equivalent to eight Tylenol Extra Strength pills.

"With more than 600 (over the counter) and prescription medications containing acetaminophen on the market, this is an important step because it will help remind consumers to always read the label," Johnson & Johnson said in a statement about the new caps.

The FDA will also have certain prescription drugs carry warnings about containing the compound and will inform consumers of a rare and serious skin reaction. The primary concern with acetaminophen is liver damage.

The FDA advised against taking the compound with alcohol, as it enhances its effects and makes acetaminophen more of a risk.

Johnson and Johnson is the world's largest producer of healthcare products and generated $67 billion in sales last year. This is not the first time the company has repackaged or relabeled Tylenol. In 1982, seven people died as a result of tampered capsules that had been poisoned.

Johnson and Johnson was praised for the handling of the tragic 1982 incident, with members of the media lauding the corporate giant's response to a disaster.

"Johnson & Johnson has effectively demonstrated how a major business ought to handle a disaster," Jerry Knight wrote in The Washington Post at the time, adding, "this is no Three Mile Island accident in which the company's response did more damage than the original incident."

Recalls and repackaging took place in 1994, 1998 and 2004 for liver-damage-related warnings. Despite numerous recalls for label repackaging, Johnson and Johnson has remained as the dominant healthcare product producer on the market.

© 2024 University Herald, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics