Comment from Anonymous
AnonymousSupportIndividual
Summary: A pediatric hospital pharmacist argues that acetaminophen should be reclassified from an over-the-counter medication to a prescription-only drug. The commenter cites frequent cases of teen suicide attempts involving acetaminophen overdoses and notes the lack of adequate warnings on current labeling.
As a pediatric hospital pharmacist for over 25yrs, we see acetaminophen overdoses every year by teens who are trying to commit suicide, resulting in death or permanent brain damage. There are no warnings on the labeling of this medication on how severe it can be when taking the wrong dose or too many. Due to how easily it is accessed without a prescription needed it highly dangerous, it should be reclassified as a prescription medication instead of OTC.