FDA limits prescription acetaminophen
In January 2011, the FDA ordered makers of prescription acetaminophen drugs — mostly acetaminophen-plus-opioid combinations such as Vicodin and Percocet — to put no more than 325 milligrams (mg) of acetaminophen (better known as Tylenol) in each pill or capsule; currently, these combinations may contain as much as 750 mg. Manufacturers were also told to include a "black box" warning (the most serious kind) on product labels highlighting the risk of severe liver injury. Acetaminophen overdose causes most cases of acute liver failure in the United States, and acetaminophen-containing prescription drugs account for nearly half of them. It happens especially when people try to get additional pain relief by taking more of the prescription drug.
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