Tylenol Overdose Common in Children, Canadian Researchers Say

Children commonly overdose on Tylenol and its active ingredient, acetaminophen, according to a new report by Canadian researchers, which may increase the risk of severe liver damage. 

In the latest of a string of studies involving the risks associated with Tylenol overdose, researchers published a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that found acetaminophen to be the most common cause of acute liver failure in children. However, the researchers noted that such overdoses could be easily avoided.

The report includes a case study involving a 22-day old infant, whose parents accidentally overdosed him following a circumcision. The child was treated with N-acetylcysteine, which counteracts liver toxicity.

Tylenol Autism Lawsuit

Does your child have Austism from Tylenol Exposure?

Side effects of Tylenol may cause autism and ADHD among children exposed during pregnancy. Find out if your family may be eligible for a Tylenol autism or ADHD settlement.

Learn More See If You Qualify For Compensation

The report was released just days after a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that nearly half of adults are at risk of accidentally overdosing on acetaminophen by taking more than one medication that contains the pharmaceutical ingredient. In addition, nearly a quarter showed a tendency to overdose on a single, over-the-counter acetaminophen product by exceeding the four grams per day recommended maximum dosage.

Acetaminophen is a pain killer and anti-inflammatory medication found in a number of over-the-counter and prescription drugs. It is also widely marketed for use among infants and children for the treatment of fever, aches and pain.

The FDA has indicated that side effects of acetaminophen are a leading cause of liver failure in the United States, resulting in more than 50,000 emergency room visits, 25,000 hospitalizations and over 450 deaths annually. 

Due to the risks associated with receiving too much acetaminophen, an FDA advisory panel was convened in May 2011 to make recommendations about new warnings or other regulatory actions. Stronger warnings about the potential risk of liver failure from acetaminophen have also been added to all products over the past year, including clearer indications about what products contain acetaminophen as the active ingredient to avoid the risk of overdose.

In December, the FDA warned that new acetaminophen products for children have different potencies than older drugs and said parents should read label instructions carefully.

Johnson & Johnson currently faces a number of Tylenol lawsuits involving liver failure filed on behalf of individuals throughout the United States, which allege that the drug maker sold the popular painkiller for years without providing adequate warnings about the risks associated with exceeding the maximum daily dose or the risk of liver problems from Tylenol overdose.

0 Comments

Share Your Comments

I authorize the above comments be posted on this page*

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

More Top Stories

Lawyers Propose MDL Trial Dates for Baby Formula NEC Lawsuit Starting in May 2025
Lawyers Propose MDL Trial Dates for Baby Formula NEC Lawsuit Starting in May 2025 (Posted today)

A series of four bellwether claims in the baby formula NEC lawsuit MDL will be ready to go before a federal juries in May 2025, August 2025, November 2025 and February 2026 according to a proposed trial schedule agreed upon by both plaintiffs and defendants.

AngioDynamics Port Catheter Lawsuit MDL Established in Southern District of California
AngioDynamics Port Catheter Lawsuit MDL Established in Southern District of California (Posted yesterday)

U.S. JPML has transferred all AngioDynamics port catheter lawsuits to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, for coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings as part of a federal MDL (multidistrict litigation).