Study Reveals Most Americans Don’t Understand Tylenol Liver Risks

ProPublica and This American Life commissioned the poll, which has a 3.5 percent margin of error. Around 50 percent of those polled said they didn’t know about any safety warnings or dangers regarding Tylenol when it’s used as recommended. That might be surprising, but 80 percent said that overdosing on Tylenol could result in severe side effects. While a Tylenol overdose is dangerous, liver damage can occur even when a person takes the drug as recommended. 

In a different question, 35 percent of those polled said it’s safe to mix Tylenol and other drugs that also contain acetaminophen. “Double dipping,” which occurs when drugs are mixed, can be even more dangerous than taking too much of the same OTC drug. There are a number of acetaminophen awareness campaigns, including those sponsored by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Even Johnson & Johnson (the makers of Tylenol) have engaged in their own awareness campaigns. Despite these efforts, many Americans remain unaware of the Tylenol liver risks.

ProPublica commissioned the poll after reporting that around 150 people die every year from accidental Tylenol overdoses, according to data supplied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That might seem like a low number, but it doesn’t include the “tens of thousands” who are hospitalized with Tylenol liver damage. According to the FDA, acetaminophen toxicity is a “persistent, important public health problem.” Consumers also may not understand just how easy it is to overdose, especially with the vast majority thinking double dipping is okay. 

Furthermore, 35 percent of people specifically said it was okay to mix Extra Strength Tylenol with Nyquil, a cold remedy that contains acetaminophen, while 11 percent didn’t know. Surprisingly, 68 percent said that liver damage could occur, and 55 percent said that a Tylenol overdose can cause death. Forty-nine percent of those polled said that overdosing could also cause heart palpitations, which isn’t true, and leads researchers to believe that Americans simply don’t understand how overdosing on Tylenol works.

Currently, there are over 600 drugs containing acetaminophen, so it’s pretty easy to double dip. According to Michael S. Wolf, a Northwestern University Medical School professor, the practice of double dipping is “a reflection of how horrible our health system is at communicating the active ingredients.” It’s been required by the FDA for OTC drugs with acetaminophen to include a warning for severe liver damage since 2009, but it seems that warning has done little to make sure consumers are aware of Tylenol’s risks.

Did You Experience Tylenol Liver Damage? 

Did you suffer liver damage or failure after taking Tylenol? If this happened to you, you might have a Tylenol legal claim. Visit the Tylenol Liver Damage, Stevens Johnson Syndrome Lawsuit Investigation to find out more right now. You’ll be able to submit your information, and an attorney will contact you if you have a case for a free Tylenol claim review.