FDA Panel Urges Ban on Vicodin, Percocet
TUESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- The popular prescription painkillers Vicodin and Percocet, which combine acetaminophen with an opiate narcotic, should be banned, and the maximum dose of over-the-counter painkillers with acetaminophen, like Tylenol or Excedrin, should be lowered, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel urged Tuesday.
The panel's recommendations followed the release of an FDA report last month that found severe liver damage, and even death, can result from a lack of consumer awareness that acetaminophen -- which is easier on the stomach than such painkillers as aspirin and ibuprofen -- can cause such injury.
The dangers from use or abuse of Vicodin and Percocet may be even more concerning, one key panelist said.
"It seems to me that problems with opiate combinations are clearly more prevalent," Dr. Lewis S. Nelson, chairman of the FDA's Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee, said during a Tuesday press conference held after the two-day meeting.
Explaining the panel's 20-17 vote to ban prescription acetaminophen/opiate drugs, Nelson said, "There are many deaths that relate to problems with prescription opiate combination acetaminophen products, whereas the number of deaths clearly related to the over-the-counter products are much more limited."
But the FDA advisers also took aim at over-the-counter (OTC) acetaminophen products. The agency's report found that many people may consume more than the recommended dose of these pain relievers in the mistaken belief that taking more will prove more effective against pain without posing health risks. Consumers may also not know that acetaminophen is present in many over-the-counter products, including remedies for colds, headaches and fevers, making it possible to exceed the recommended acetaminophen dose, the report said.
Based on that, the FDA advisory panel voted 21-16 to lower the maximum daily dose of nonprescription acetaminophen, which is currently 4 grams -- equal to eight pills of a drug such as Extra Strength Tylenol. The panel was not asked to recommend another maximum daily dose.
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so switching to pure opioids like Oxycontin and Dilaudid are better ideas??
We're going to create an increase in addiction to opioids by 250% if this happens banning percocet and vicodin!
Some doctors don't prescribe Morphine tabs, OxyContin, Dilaudid, or Fentanyl if you don't have cancer leaving the vicodin and percocet as an alternative
PEOPLE are the ones who need to learn and read the labels 3g a day is fine
heck I know people how have taken over 15g for years and don't have probs.
Sure 4g/d is maximum follow that don't take more cause it'll kill you
this is pointless and stupid and is going to cause more pain and deaths than TYLENOL! Ibuprofen and aspirin will cause ulcers and stomach bleeding as well as kidney failure thats not as important???
kidneys, stomach, uncles or a possiblity that a stupid jerk takes 20g of tylenol and dies? man thats hes stupidity that killed him READ THE LABELS NO MORE THAN 4 Grams per day 2 extra strenth tylenol is 1g