The Real Danger of Tylenol and Autism: New Research Reveals
- Amidst circulating unverified claims about a potential link between acetaminophen and autism,medical experts emphasize a far more pressing concern: acetaminophen overdose.
- According to Kennon Heard, MD, PhD, a professor in the CU Anschutz Department of Emergency Medicine and section chief of medical toxicology, approximately 56,000 people visit emergency departments...
- Heard, who has studied acetaminophen poisoning for over 25 years, is currently leading a clinical trial investigating a new method to mitigate liver damage in severe overdose cases.
acetaminophen Overdose a Significant Threat,Experts Say
Amidst circulating unverified claims about a potential link between acetaminophen and autism,medical experts emphasize a far more pressing concern: acetaminophen overdose. The widely used pain and fever medication is a leading cause of hospitalization and death related to non-prescription drugs in the United States.
According to Kennon Heard, MD, PhD, a professor in the CU Anschutz Department of Emergency Medicine and section chief of medical toxicology, approximately 56,000 people visit emergency departments annually due to acetaminophen poisoning, with around 2,600 requiring hospitalization. The drug accounts for nearly 50% of all acute liver failure cases in the U.S. and roughly 20% of liver transplants nationwide.
Heard, who has studied acetaminophen poisoning for over 25 years, is currently leading a clinical trial investigating a new method to mitigate liver damage in severe overdose cases. the experimental treatment utilizes a medication commonly used for antifreeze poisoning.
CU Anschutz and Denver Health,home to the Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety center,have been central to acetaminophen research for the past 40 years. “We have been the center of the acetaminophen research universe for the past 40 years. There’s been a long history of this type of work being done here, and it’s great to be a part of it,” said Heard.
Why Acetaminophen Overdoses Happen
Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and many generic pain relievers, is used to treat mild to moderate pain and low-grade fever. It’s also found in numerous over-the-counter cold, flu, sinus, and menstrual discomfort products.
When taken as directed, acetaminophen has a long history of safe use. Though,problems occur when individuals exceed recommended dosages,either through a single large dose or repeated overconsumption.
“There are cases where people accidentally take too much acetaminophen,” Heard explains. “Or maybe they have a really bad toothache, and they think if two is good, four is better, eight is even better, and so on. Or it’s someone who’s takin”