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For Immediate Release
New Tylenol Packaging Misleads Public
August 31, 1998
The Aspirin Foundation of America said today that the announcement of new packaging for
Tylenol Extended Relief by McNeil Consumer Products Company misleads consumers with
its broad generalizations and its citing of McNeil-funded "guidelines" as a clinical authority.
"The claim that people with arthritis are unnecessarily placing themselves at risk by using
aspirin or ibuprofen for the treatment of pain and inflammation is simply outrageous," said
Dr. Thomas E. Bryant, president of the Aspirin Foundation of America. "When used as
directed, aspirin is one of the safest and most recommended medications for the treatment
of the pain and inflammation associated with many forms of arthritis.
"Consumers are going to misinterpret the newly named McNeil product as being suitable for
both the pain and inflammation associated with many forms of arthritis and this just is not
true since acetaminophen has no effect on inflammation," said Dr. Bryant. "It is wrong for the
manufacturer of Tylenol to mislead the public this way."
Bryant also pointed out that the McNeil company press release highlighted two sets of
"guidelines" recommending Tylenol over its competitors - without identifying that the
funding for both sets of guidelines was provided by McNeil.
"Simply put, these guidelines were funded by the makers of Tylenol," said Dr. Bryant, "so is it
any wonder that they recommend Tylenol?"
The Aspirin Foundation of America was established in 1981 to facilitate and encourage an
understanding of the potential health benefits of aspirin based on sound data and good
science.
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Contact:
Caroline Perrin
807 National Press Building, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 800-432-3247 Fax: 202/737-8406
info@aspirin.org
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