Today more than 600 over-the-counter and prescription medications contain acetaminophen, including TYLENOL®, SUDAFED® Triple Action™, NyQuil®, Percocet® and Vicodin®.  Some people accidentally exceed the recommended dose when taking multiple products at the same time, often without realizing they contain acetaminophen or by not reading and following the dosing instructions. Acetaminophen is safe when used as directed, but when taken in overdose amounts, it can cause liver damage.

As the makers of TYLENOL®, we are committed to your safety, and are leading the industry in implementing new steps designed to lessen the possibility of accidental acetaminophen overdose.  To help in achieving this goal, we are launching a national initiative — GET RELIEF RESPONSIBLY™ to educate consumers about the appropriate use of prescription and OTC medications, particularly those containing acetaminophen, and the importance of reading and following the medication labels.

Additionally, we have modified the dosing instructions for Extra Strength TYLENOL® (500 mg) to reduce the maximum daily dose from 8 pills per day to 6 pills per day and change the dosing interval from every 4-6 hours to every 6 hours. These labeling changes will be consistent across all single-ingredient Extra Strength TYLENOL® products.  We are working closely with other manufacturers of acetaminophen products to help ensure consistency in dosing instructions.