In over 180 dangerous drug cases, plaintiffs are suing drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson for severe liver damage that they say was caused by Tylenol. The complaints contend that J &J did not warn about the risks involved with taking the popular main medication.
One plaintiff, Regina Jackson, says she developed “abnormal liver enzymes” from taking Tylenol. Jackson contends that she suffered these health complications even though she did not take more than the amount recommended. In 2005, J & J subsidiary McNeil PPC, which makes the painkiller, added a warning but this one only cautioned against taking beyond the recommended dose to avoid damage to the liver.
If you sustained liver problems, liver failure, liver injury, or liver damage, and/or if you had to undergo a liver transplant procedure or someone you love died from liver failure and you think that a pain med was the cause, you should contact our Boston dangerous drug law firm right away to explore you legal options.
Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in Tylenol (as well as Midol, Alka Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine, Excedrin, NyQuil, and Theraflu. Overdose of this ingredient in general has been linked to acute liver failure and is blamed for 56,000 ER visits and 450 fatalities annually. Meantime, the Food and Drug Administration reports that about 800 cases of acetaminophen-related liver injuries happen each year.
In 2009, the Food and drug Administration told the manufacturers of over-the-counter pain meds that contained acetaminophen to make sure that they added on their label warnings that taking these drugs upped the risk of liver injury. In 2011, the FDA issued new limits on acetaminophen and began mandating that prescription pain medications limit how much of this ingredient they contain so as to lower that risks.
Signs of possible liver damage from taking Tylenol:
• Stomach pain • Excessive drowsiness • Concentration problems • Jaundice • Confusion • Nausea
The Liver
The liver is the body’s chemical processing plant, flowing through a huge percentage of blood that is circulating each minute. It is the liver’s job to take out harmful toxins while disbursing and storing the nutrients that are important. The liver is one of the key organs for humans.
Tylenol and other drugs with acetaminophens have also been linked to an increase risk of blood cancer-albeit low. Researchers uncovered the link in 2011.
Drug Injuries
Drug injuries may occur because the ingredients in a medication proved to be a health risk or a patient may suffer an allergic reaction from the med. Failure to warn of the risks involved and poor/inadequate negligent marketing (to the wrong age demographic, the making of false claims, or failing to highlight the complications as much as the benefits) are also reasons patients can get sick or die from taking a drug.
One of our Massachusetts drug injury lawyers would be happy to provide you with a free case assessment.
Johnson & Johnson seeks home court advantage in Tylenol liver damage lawsuits, NJ.com, June 9, 2013
Acetaminophen and Liver Injury: Q & A for Consumers, FDA
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