The Associated Press reports on the FDA's renewed focus on painkillers and their damaging side effects. The article provides,

Tylenol, Excedrin, NyQuil. These household brands and others have come to symbolize safe, convenient relief from the aches and pains of everyday life. But this week theFood and Drug Administration is focusing on a seldom-discussed sideeffect of the medications: severe liver damage. Since the drugs firstbecame widely available in the 1950s, the FDA has tried to minimize therisks of acetaminophen — the pain-relieving, fever-reducing ingredientin Tylenol and dozens of other prescription and over-the-countermedications.

Acetaminophen overdoses send an estimated 56,000 people to the emergency room each year, according to the FDA.  Despitedecades of educational campaigns, bolstered warnings and other federalactions, acetaminophen continues to be the leading cause of liverfailure in the U.S. . .  .   

TheFDA does not have to follow the group's advice, though it usually does.Individual companies already are sparring in an effort to influence theFDA's decision.   Panelistswill be asked to vote on a range of options: adding a "black box"warning label to the products, lowering the drug dosage in someproducts, or pulling certain types of medications off the market —which could cost manufacturers millions in sales.  Thedrugs that could be pulled off store shelves are combinationmedications, such as Procter & Gamble's NyQuil or Novartis'Theraflu, which combine acetaminophen with other ingredients that treatcough and runny nose….