As Cold and Flu Season Peaks, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Maker of TYLENOL®, Helps Consumers "GET RELIEF RESPONSIBLY®"

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Jan., 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This year, Americans will suffer approximately one billion colds[1] and as many as one in five Americans will suffer from the flu.[2] For the millions of Americans who will turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for relief, McNeil Consumer Healthcare ("McNeil"), the maker of TYLENOL®, has launched an enhanced consumer education website, GETRELIEFRESPONSIBLY.COM, to help sufferers get relief from their symptoms responsibly.

Each year, an estimated 7 in 10 Americans turn to OTC medicines to treat their cold and flu symptoms[3].  Many of these medicines contain acetaminophen, a common pain reliever/fever reducer that patients and consumers rely on to provide relief from cold and flu symptoms such as headache, fever, sore throat, and body pains. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in TYLENOL® and can also be found in more than 600 OTC and prescription medications, such as NyQuil®, Theraflu®, Percocet® and Vicodin®.

Particularly during cold and flu season, when consumers are seeking relief, they may reach for more than one medication to treat their symptoms. It is important that consumers are aware of the ingredients in their medications and that they read and follow their medicine labels to help prevent accidentally taking more than the maximum daily dose of acetaminophen.  The Extra Strength TYLENOL® label directs consumers to take no more than 6 caplets (3,000mg) per day unless directed by a doctor.

"Acetaminophen is safe when used as directed, but taking too much of it can harm your liver," said Edwin Kuffner, M.D., Vice President of Medical Affairs and Clinical Research at McNeil. "Some people may accidentally take more than the total daily dose of acetaminophen because they do not realize they are taking multiple products containing acetaminophen, or because they may not read and follow the label."

At the enhanced GETRELIEFRESPONSIBLY.COM website, consumers can try out the new interactive medicine checker and see if the OTC or prescription medicines they are taking contain acetaminophen. The site features several videos about general acetaminophen safety, an illustrated guide on how to read medicine labels, and proper acetaminophen dosage for adults and children. The site also features tips on how to keep medicines safely out of the reach of children and a companion diagram showing specific locations within the home to be extra cautious about – areas where medicines might commonly be left within the reach of children.

"Through our enhanced website and other education efforts, we want to help patients and consumers use our medicines safely and appropriately," Kuffner said. "The tools and information available on the site are easy to use, and can help families ensure they get relief safely this cold and flu season."

With cold and flu season in full swing, McNeil reminds patients and consumers to:

• Always read and follow your medicine labels.
• Never take more than the recommended dose of any medicine, unless directed by your healthcare provider.
• Never take more than one product containing acetaminophen at the same time.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare 
McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. markets a broad range of well-known and trusted over-the-counter (OTC) products. McNeil Consumer Healthcare is most widely recognized for the TYLENOL® brand. Other McNeil Consumer Healthcare brands include BENADRYL®, ZYRTEC® and ZYRTEC®-D allergy medicines; IMODIUM® A-D anti-diarrheal; MOTRIN® IB; and SUDAFED® and SUDAFED PE® nasal decongestants.

*The third-party trademarks used herein are registered trademarks of their respective owners and not McNEIL-PPC, Inc.

[1] http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/coldandcoughmedicines.html
[2] http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm336581.htm
[3] http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm336581.htm

SOURCE McNeil Consumer Healthcare