The FDA announced today that it would begin limiting the amount of acetaminophen in products in response to worries that painkillers like Vicodin and Percocet are causing numerous cases of liver damage. Such drugs, which currently contain up to 700 milligrams of acetaminophen will, in the future, be limited to 325 milligrams per tablet.
"Our main concern," said Sandra Kweder, a deputy director at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, "is that - at current levels - the amount of acetaminophen in these drugs seriously hinders everyone's ability to use them for recreational purposes. For therapeutic applications 700 milligrams is a perfectly reasonable amount, but this amount seriously limits how many tablets your average recreational user can consume in any 24-hour period, making these drugs far less enjoyable than they have the potential to be."
Pharmaceutical companies applauded the decision. "This is just brilliant," said William C. Weldon, CEO of Johnson and Johnson. "We should have thought of this years ago. Halving the amount of acetaminophen in these products will effectively allow our loyal customers to consume twice as much of these products. Double the fun!"
Painkiller addicts were also encouraged by the news. William Weber, an unemployed 23-year-old from Buffalo, NY stated excitedly,"It's like being given a whole new outlook on life. Thank you FDA!"
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