ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 11, 1997 TAG: 9703110099
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: AKRON, OHIO
SOURCE: KNIGHT-RIDDER/TRIBUNE
Tylenol, laxatives, cough syrups and nasal sprays are just a few of the medicines used far too casually by consumers.
For all who believe that over-the-counter medications are the wimps of the drug world, think again.
The safety of acetaminophen, the pain-killing ingredient in Tylenol and many other medications, is being questioned this week in an Ohio court by the family of a Norton, Ohio, woman who died after taking the drug.
The suit accuses drug manufacturer Leiner Health Products of Cleveland of not adequately warning the public about the possible danger of a product most think of as innocuous.
But acetaminophen, which can destroy the liver, is not the only potentially dangerous medicine available in the aisles of your local drugstore. Laxatives, nasal sprays and vitamins can be dangerous if customers don't pay attention on how to use them.
``People pop them like candy,'' said Lou Marcy, a pharmacist who teaches a class on nonprescription drugs at Ohio State University. ``But they need to realize everything is poisonous at a point.''
Since 1975, at least 70 medications have been converted from prescription to over-the-counter, according to the Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Association. More than 600 over-the-counter drugs are on the market that use ingredients or dosages that were only available through prescription two decades ago.
``These are potent products that have real effects on the body - I just can't stress that enough,'' said Jason Brodsky, spokesman for the federal Food and Drug Administration. ``These are active compounds, and people should watch how they use them.''
For manufacturers, converting a prescription medication to an over-the-counter drug is a financial boon.
``It opens a larger market for them,'' said Meg Gratten, spokeswoman for the Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Association. ``Where a product could only be purchased through a doctor's prescription, all of a sudden it can be made available for general consumption at 750,000 retail outlets.''
But for consumers, it means a drug they might have handled with more caution is now viewed as a cheap, readily accessible instant fix for whatever ails them. And too often, the directions are thrown away with the cotton ball, with little regard to dosage, side effects and possible interactions with other medications, pharmacists say.
For example, many cold formulas do not mix well with a type of antidepressant.
Those who drink alcohol should probably avoid acetaminophen.
Attorneys for the family of the dead Ohio woman, Linda Leach, cite medical experts who say regular alcohol consumption can cause the liver to become prone to damage from usually harmless doses of acetaminophen. Leach was described in the family's lawsuit as a ``regular'' drinker.
And pregnant women should always re-check medications with their doctor and pharmacists throughout their nine months - drugs that are OK in the first trimester might not be in the second or third.
FDA and industry representatives say the drugs that have been approved for over-the-counter sale are safe, if consumers are responsible and read the labels.
``The vast majority of people are conservative and responsible when using [over-the-counter drugs],'' Gratten said. ``But there's always going to be people who misuse a product and medicine always gets the spotlight.''
LENGTH: Medium: 70 linesby CNB