FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS – Encouraging Safe Acetaminophen Use During Cold and Flu Season
Cold and flu season is here, which means that healthcare providers will be on high alert for potential medicine dosing mistakes. With COVID-19 still a part of our lives, the chances that patients might take their medicines incorrectly — particularly when treating pain or fever symptoms using acetaminophen — could be even higher this cold and flu season.
Acetaminophen is found in more than 600 over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medicines — including many of the cold and flu medicines that patients used to treat their symptoms. Research shows that seven in 10 people will reach for an OTC medicine to treat fevers, sinus headaches, and other unwelcome symptoms, but two in three will not consider other OTC medicines they’re taking before choosing an OTC pain reliever.
International Pain Foundation and the Know Your Dose campaign lay out four acetaminophen safe use steps for patients:
- Always read and follow the medicine label.
- Know if your medicines contain acetaminophen.
- Take only one medicine at a time that contains acetaminophen.
- Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
The Know Your Dose campaign offers a variety of educational resources, in English and Spanish, to help healthcare providers start the conversation about safe use. From prescription tear pads to easy-to-distribute palm cards, all the resources at KnowYourDose.org/order are free to use and make discussions with your patients about acetaminophen safe use simple.
To learn more, visit KnowYourDose.org and follow @KnowYourDose on Twitter.
