FDA Panel Suggests Bans on Vicodin and Percocet

An FDA advisory committee has voted to recommend limits on the non-prescription pain medication acetaminophen; the active ingredient in Tylenol. In another more, the panel also recommended that the narcotic prescription pain medications Vicodin and Percocet be ban because of their potential liver damage caused by the acetaminophen contained in the pain killers. Acetaminophen has long been known to cause liver damage when taken in excess. The panel suggests lowering the recommended daily dose of acetaminophen from 4 grams to 3 grams daily. Their suggested ban on Vicodin and Percocet was called for because of the amounts of acetaminophen taken by people using increasing doses of the two drugs. Acetaminophen is contained in the two drugs to prolong the action of the narcotic pain killer contained in each drug. While the FDA does not have to act on the panel's suggestion, it will be interesting to see what the FDA's next step will be.

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