Drinkers: See your doctor before you treat your headache
April 13, 1996
Web posted at: 12:25 a.m EDTFrom Correspondent Jeff Levine
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Are you aware that it could be dangerous to drink and take pain relievers? Antonio Benedi knows. Today, he enjoys spending time with his son Tony. But the longtime aide to former President George Bush almost lost that quality time three years ago.
He nearly died of liver failure.
"When we got to the hospital, the doctors came out and told my wife that she should call my family, my parents. That I probably wouldn't make it until the morning," recalled Benedi.
The 40-year-old later learned that the crisis was caused simply by taking Tylenol, combined with a regular habit of drinking wine with dinner. He was shocked when the hospital pathologist told him that Tylenol, in combination with the wine, caused his liver damage.
Benedi survived thanks to a liver transplant. He later won an $8.8 million lawsuit against the maker of Tylenol. Not content to drop the issue, he took out a newspaper ad accusing the drug's manufacturer of not leveling about the risks of Tylenol and moderate drinking.
The Food and Drug Administration now asks manufacturers to voluntarily state the following: "People who drink more than three drinks per day will contact their physician about taking the analgesic drug."
McNeil Consumer Products, the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary responsible for Tylenol, insists that Benedi's liver was not damaged by Tylenol, and that the drug has an outstanding safety record.
Robert Gussin of Johnson & Johnson said that over 35 years, more than 240 billion doses have been taken worldwide. "I think that if the Benedi-type reaction was common or really associated, we would have seen it by now, and we haven't," he said.
Although cases like Benedi's are extremely rare, they raise the issue of how pain killers should be labeled with respect to alcohol.
The Food and Drug Administration now asks manufacturers to voluntarily state the following: "People who drink more than three drinks per day will contact their physician about taking the analgesic drug." Tylenol, a brand of acetaminophen, has carried such a message for the last two years. The FDA is considering whether stronger labeling is necessary.
As things stand now, pain killers carry a variety of warnings. The newer ones, as well as Tylenol, have an alcohol alert. But some others don't. For the consumer, figuring it out could be a real headache, especially since other pain relievers also carry risks. For example, aspirin and ibuprofen taken with alcohol can result in severe stomach bleeding.
The controversy over drug safety has led to claims and counterclaims about which pain killer is the safest, with many commercials hinting that theirs is better. Advil, an ibuprofen product, is promoted by its advertising to be the best one. "Before taking any analgesic, ask your doctor if Advil isn't a safer choice," it says.
The FDA says it prefers this take-home message: Be careful about drinking and taking pain killers.
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