Most Americans are not aware that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is a leading cause of acute liver failure in this country today. The brand Tylenol has been a trusted and reliable source for over-the-counter pain medication for more than half a century and has never been associated with harmful medications. At its best, a brand predictably and consistently gives out the same results of which is why consumers come to place faith in one medication over another. This is why it is so tragic that the doses recommended by Tylenol for medications intended for use by adults and children seem to have been overestimated. This is particularly true in the case of several of their medications for children. Liver damage, liver failure and other illnesses such as asthma have been clearly indicated in children as a result of taking the recommended (over)dosage of Tylenol products.

Dosages for children are typically calculated using the child’s age and body weight, which is a confusing and inexact process at best. Adults 12 years and older are advised to take up to 4,000 milligrams of acetaminophen per day, but this upper limit has subsequently been revised by those studying the dangers down to 3,250 milligrams daily. In both cases regular use of acetaminophen at these dosage levels can cause excruciatingly painful liver damage and disrupt lives financially in the short or long term.

Studies begun in the middle of the 1990s surrounding the subject track more than 100,000 Tylenol overdoses annually. These overdoses are caused by accurately following the directions on the packaging. More than half of these overdoses lead to internal organ damage and nearly 23,000 overdoses require hospitalization. 450 overdoses lead to death, a small yet very significant number. A high percentage of Tylenol overdoses are caused by taking the medication without food, but as most consumers who require Tylenol have symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting and nausea it is not surprising that this would be the case.

Beyond injuries, hospitalizations and deaths, studies of Tylenol usage and over dosage show that both children and adults are much more likely to develop asthma after taking too much Tylenol. Grownups have a 74% increased risk of asthma, while children are 60% more likely to develop asthma-related breathing difficulties.

As a result of these tragic Tylenol dosage errors, a large class action lawsuit is currently underway. If you or a loved one has suffered liver damage, asthma or other unfortunate side effects as a result of this medication then contact a product liability lawyer familiar with the Tylenol recall and class action suit. Some members of this action have already received five million dollars in compensation from the manufacturers of Tylenol and everyone who has been affected deserves the same recompense for financial losses, pain and suffering. Each win against a large drug manufacturer, whether prescription or over-the-counter, improves the safety for everyone who ever needs pain management from a pill.