It only took them TWO DECADES to figure this out !

[Pharmacist.steve]

FDA orders lowering pain reliever in Vicodin

WASHINGTON - Federal health regulators are limiting a key ingredient found in Vicodin, Percocet and other prescription painkillers that have been linked to thousands of cases of liver damage each year.The Food and Drug Administration says it will cap the amount of acetaminophen in the drugs at 325 milligrams per capsule.Acetaminophen is a ubiquitous pain reliever found in Tylenol, Nyquil and thousands of other medicines used to treat headaches, muscle aches and sore throats. WASHINGTON - Federal health regulators are limiting a key ingredient found in Vicodin, Percocet and other prescription painkillers that have been linked to thousands of cases of liver damage each year.

The Food and Drug Administration says it will cap the amount of acetaminophen in the drugs at 325 milligrams per capsule.

Acetaminophen is a ubiquitous pain reliever found in Tylenol, Nyquil and thousands of other medicines used to treat headaches, muscle aches and sore throats. But regulators say acetaminophen is dangerous at the larger doses found in prescription combination drugs that combine it with other drugs like oxycodone.

Acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S. and sends 56,000 people to the emergency room annually. About 200 die each year. The FDA estimates 120 of those deaths are linked to prescription drugs with acetaminophen.

If you are taking any Hydrocodone/APAP with greater than 325mg of APAP.. you should ask your doc on next refill to lower it to 325mg.. there is going to be a big rush once the supply pipe line empties.. and with any big rush .. there may well be delays in getting things done...