Acetaminophen warning has been issued by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday, after the popular fever and pain reliever has left some users with serious skin reactions.
The FDA said an acetaminophen will now come with a warning regarding the possible skin condition that it can cause. The acetaminophen warning will also be added to the labels of other types of prescription drug which may acetaminophen.
Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in drugs like Tylenol and in prescriptions like Vicodin.
The acetaminophen warning says that it may cause a skin reaction known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, which is a rare condition in which small, reddish or purplish blisters form along with thickened patches of skin, according to WebMD. Other types of skin reactions include toxic epidermal necroylis and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis which are rare but can be deadly. These conditions can cause blisters, serious rashes, reddening of the skin and the detachment of the upper surface of the skin known as the epidermis.
Both reactions usually require hospitalization and in some cases can result in death. A person experiencing a reaction from acetaminophen may first have an onset of flu-like symptoms, followed by rash, blistering and excessive damage to the skin's surfaces.
In February, a jury awarded a Mass. teenager and her parents $63 million almost a decade after she suffered a life-threatening case of TEN after taking Johnson & Johnson's children's pain reliever Motrin. She lost 90 percent of her skin, was blinded and suffered brain damage that caused short-term memory loss.
"This new information is not intended to worry consumers or health care professionals, nor is it meant to encourage them to choose other medications," said Dr. Sharon Hertz, the deputy director of FDA's Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Addiction in a statement. "However, it is extremely important that people recognize and react quickly to the initial symptoms of these rare but serious, side effects, which are potentially fatal."
The FDA cautions anyone who is taking acetaminophen and is experiencing skin symptoms, should stop taking it immediately.
