Acetaminophen Warning, Tylenol, Midol, Among Drugs Who Can Cause Skin Allergic Reaction

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration added Stevens-Johnson syndrome to a list of side effects that can come from taking acetaminophen.

This move came a month after the Supreme Court made a ruling regarding the deadly skin disease. 

Web MD states that Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, or SJS, is an inflammatory disorder of the skin triggered by an allergic reaction to certain drugs including antibiotics, such as some sulfonamides, tetracycline, amoxicillin and ampicillin."

The announcement came Aug. 1 that Tylenol, Midol and other forms of the painkiller will be required to alert consumers that the drug could cause SJS, which can lead to blistering of the skin, among other side effects. 

Only 107 cases of SJS have been reported since 1969, the FDA said in the statement they released. 

"This new information is not intended to worry consumers or health care professionals, nor is it meant to encourage them to choose other medications," Dr. Sharon Hertz, deputy director of FDA's Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Addiction, said in the same statement. "However, it is extremely important that people recognize and react quickly to the initial symptoms of these rare but serious, side effects, which are potentially fatal."

The announcement means that the makers of brand-name drugs, as well as the makers of generic acetaminophen-containing drugs, need to update their packaging to warn the consumer. 

"FDA's actions should be viewed within the context of the millions who, over generations, have benefited from acetaminophen," Hertz said. "Nonetheless, given the severity of the risk, it is important for patients and health care providers to be aware of it."