Paracetamol in usa

ADELPHI (Reuters) - The United States is moving towards a ban on prescription painkillers containing the active ingredient acetaminophen.

Independent advisers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday recommended that the government withdraw the drug from the market because of the risk of overdose and liver failure. The decision primarily affects drugs such as Abbott's Vicodin or Endo's Percocet, in which the drug, which is popular in the USA under the name acetaminophen, is combined with strong opiates. The resolution was relatively narrow with 20 votes to 17, but the committee's recommendations are considered a preliminary decision. Paracetamol medicines for coughs and colds, on the other hand, should remain over-the-counter because they contain lower doses.

The best-known over-the-counter acetaminophen drug in the United States is Tylenol by Johnson & Johnson. Other drugs are on the market from the manufacturers Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Procter & Gamble, Schering Plow and Wyeth.

According to earlier information from the ABDA Association of Pharmacists, the painkiller has been available on prescription in Germany since April 1, 2009 if packs contain more than ten grams of paracetamol. The ABDA explained that liver damage is possible if a healthy adult takes more than six grams once. The active ingredient is also contained in some combination drugs, which can lead to unintentional overdoses.