Medline Acetaminophen News

Medline Inc. makes generic acetaminophen for pain relief and fever reduction. They have recently announced they made a mistake in labeling a shipment of pills that were incorrectly labeled as 325mg when they actually contained the 500mg strength. 

They're asking retailers and consumers alike to check the lot numbers of their products (the affected lot number was 45810) and the expiration date (May 2018.) It was available to the public from the dates of June 12, 2015 and September 18, 2015. The NDC# is 53329-641-30 with an Item Number of OTC20101. Medline will be reclaiming the product from distributors across the US and making it unavailable online, so there will be no further purchases. However, if you or someone you know has the product in your possession currently, you may want to read on. 

Is Medline Acetaminophen Safe?

Acetaminophen is the go-to remedy for everything from sore muscles and headaches to being used as part of an aftercare regimen following major surgery. It has long been heralded as the safest pain reliever you can buy, but many people aren't aware that it takes very little to overdose on this drug, and sometimes the effects can be deadly. In fact, the FDA encouraged other healthcare professionals to revisit the way they prescribed this extremely popular over-the-counter drug. You may be under the impression that they can take an extra pill or two (especially if the pain is severe) with no adverse effects, but this is not so. Even an extra 150 milligrams of the product (as in the case of Medline) could prove to cause liver damage if the medication is taken at its maximum dosage, or 2 tablets every 4 hours or 5 doses a day. Also, if a patient is taking other medications which also contain acetaminophen then they could be at risk. This is especially likely if people have common ailments like a cold or flu. There are a variety of remedies you can find at the drug store which you may not even realize have acetaminophen in them, including NyQuil, Sudafed, Alka-Seltzer and Benadryl. You can also find it in a variety of prescribed drugs, so it's important to know what you're taking in prevention of an accidental overdose. 

Many people think that the dosage prescriptions on the label are overly cautious to avoid any type of impunity, but they're actually carefully worked out as the safest way to relieve people's pain. If your pain remains unaffected, then you need to see a physician for possible prescription drugs — not take more of the over-the-counter medications. Medline has stated that they're currently looking into where the error occurred and how it can be avoided in the future. The company is doing their best to avoid damages caused by this mistake, and alerted all known parties (retail stores, distributors and consumers) on September 25, 2015. They currently have not received any reports of adverse effects, however you should be aware of possible side effects should you have used this product within that time period. 

Potential Side Effects from Medline Acetaminophen

If you've found that you're in possession of this mislabeled batch of pills then you need to take careful stock of what's occurred since your purchase. You can tell if you've purchased the Medline their emblem of what looks like a cross with their company name in the middle. It may be in small letters, so check your medicine cabinet carefully. Then cross-check the specific lot/NDC/OTC numbers on your package or ask the pharmacist where you purchased the pills. If you've experienced nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, sweating or a lack of color in your skin soon after ingesting the pills, then you may have had an accidental overdose. More severe symptoms that generally happen in the later stages include dark-colored urine, shaking, yellow skin or eyes, disorientation, weakness or unnatural hunger. Your liver is what's the main organ that an overdose will effect, and the sooner you address these problems the less chance you'll have of facing the extreme side effects such as coma or death. Children, teens and leaner people are more at risk here as they're more likely to feel the higher dosage. 


As you can see, mislabeled acetaminophen can have serious ramifications, even considering it's only an extra 175 mg worth of the drug. Over time, this can add up to potentially dangerous consequences. If you have noticed any of these things in yourself or someone you know, then you may want to consult a lawyer to determine whether or not you have a rightful case because of the error on Medline Inc's part. They can help you determine the next steps as to whether or not to file a lawsuit.