By Kevin C. Donnelly

That may be a bit of a harsh headline, but it’s not really too far off.  Up next on the war on common sense, the FDA is seeking to restrict the sale of a deadly, unsafe, drug…Tylenol.  Yes, Tylenol, an absolute must have drug that can help you not feel like you’re dying when you have a very bad cold, fever, headache, or mild pains.  Ponder this idiocy for a moment, and then consider this:  how much Tylenol is sold each year in the country, how often is it taken by individuals who need some relief, and then revel in the reason why the FDA is tackling this issue:

The Food and Drug Administration assembled 37 experts to recommend ways to reduce deadly overdoses with acetaminophen, which 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.

I’d venture to guess that half of Americans took Tylenol or a generic form last year, which makes 56,000 out of 150 million people which is far, far less than 1% of people who are taking this medication having a problem.  The number is even further fractionally smaller when you consider that most people take Tylenol multiple times each year.  200 deaths from taking Tylenol, while tragic, are very miniscule when considering how many people are taking this medicine.  In fact, I’d venture that that number is in line with almost any medication.  Actually, that number is probably far, far, far, lower.  This panel also suggested outlawing pain relievers like Vicodin and Percocet, which are particularly effective for managing severe pain in many patients.  I’m surprised that they didn’t conclude their study by saying, “don’t get hurt or sick, and this won’t be a problem for you.”  In related news…who’s ready for socialized, FDA-approved healthcare?  Up next, the war on pepto bismol.