(Washington, D.C., Tuesday, November 27, 2018) – On the heels of the deadliest flu season in 40 years, the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition is urging consumers to double check their medicine labels when treating cold and flu symptoms to avoid doubling up on acetaminophen.

Americans catch about one billion colds every year and seven in 10 use over-the-counter medicines to treat cold and flu symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set a maximum daily dose of 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in a 24-hour period.

Mary Leonard, spokesperson for the Coalition, explains more.

SOUNDBITE #1:

RESEARCH PUBLISHED EARLIER THIS YEAR SHOWS THAT THE ODDS OF CONSUMERS TAKING MORE THAN THE F-D-A-RECOMMENDED DOSE OF ACETAMINOPHEN INCREASES BY TWENTY-FOUR PERCENT DURING COLD AND FLU SEASON. ACETAMINOPHEN IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WHEN USED AS DIRECTED, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO READ YOUR MEDICINE LABEL SO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU’RE TAKING.

SOUNDBITE #2:

ACETAMINOPHEN IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WHEN USED AS DIRECTED, BUT THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW MUCH CAN BE TAKEN IN ONE DAY. TAKING MORE THAN THE MAXIMUM DAILY DOSE CAN LEAD TO LIVER DAMAGE. LAST YEAR WE SAW A RECORD NUMBER OF COLD AND FLU CASES, SO WE WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE FIGHTING COLD AND FLU SYMPTOMS TO BE OVERLY CAUTIOUS AND TO READ THEIR MEDICINE LABELS TO AVOID TAKING MULTIPLE MEDICATIONS THAT CONTAIN ACETAMINOPHEN.

For more information about safe use, visit KnowYourDose.org.