Heavy use of Tylenol tied to kidney ills
Chicago Tribune - 12/22/94

Boston (AP) - A study concludes heavy use of Tylenol and other brands of acetaminophen may cause about 5,000 cases of kidney failure each year. This follows research linking moderate overdoses of the pain reliever to liver damage.

The latest of the studies, published in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that averaging just one pill a day for at least a year may double the risk of kidney failure.

Despite the apparent hazard, however, researchers noted that kidney and liver damage are rare, even for heavy users. For most people who take a pill or two occasionally for a headache, the medicine appears safe.

Nevertheless, the researchers estimate that eliminating heavy use of acetaminophen could prevent 10% of all cases of kidney failure, a life-threatening condition requiring kidney dialysis. Preventing these acetaminophen related cases would reduce the nation's medical bills by about $700 million annually, they said.

Last year, acetaminophen accounted for 48% of the nation's $2.9 billion OTC pain reliever sales, according to Kline & Co., a consulting firm. Tylenol made up about 70% of acetaminophen sales.

Johnson & Johnson, the parent of Tylenol maker McNeil Consumer Products Co., attacked the latest study.

"We are very concerned this report will unnecessarily alarm the public, scaring people into switching from acetaminophen to other pain relievers that carry greater risks with everyday use," the company said.
About 50,000 new cases of kidney failure are diagnosed in the U.S. annually.

An author of the kidney report, Dr. Paul K. Whelton of Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, said researchers are worried about those who take acetaminophen steadily for a long time.

"We are really talking about care and caution, not just popping pills at the slightest ache and pain," he said.