Generic Tylenol

Generic Tylenol comes in a variety of different forms and strengths. These generic products are usually labeled as "Non-Aspirin" or "Acetaminophen" but may also be sold under other names. If acetaminophen is listed as an active ingredient, then the product contains Tylenol. It is important to keep in mind that generic Tylenol may contain different inactive ingredients than the brand-name version.

 

Generic Tylenol: An Overview

Tylenol® (acetaminophen) is a non-prescription pain reliever and fever reducer. There are several different Tylenol products available.
 
Tylenol is made by McNeil Consumer Healthcare. The patent for Tylenol has expired, and many generic versions of Tylenol are available.
 

Generic Tylenol Names

There are many different forms and strengths of generic Tylenol. Many times, these products are labeled simply as "Non-Aspirin" or "Acetaminophen." However, generic Tylenol is sold under many other names. It is easy to check if a non-prescription product contains acetaminophen. Simply look under the "Active Ingredients" section. If acetaminophen is listed, the product contains Tylenol.
 

Is Generic Acetaminophen as Good as Tylenol?

With prescription medications, all generic versions must undergo certain tests to compare them to brand-name medications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then looks at these tests to decide if the generics are equivalent to the brand-name medications and assigns each generic a rating (which indicates whether it is equivalent to a brand-name product).
 
However, because non-prescription medications are not rated using this system, it may be difficult to determine whether a generic non-prescription medication is equivalent to the brand-name product. The generic products may have different inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers or dyes or other ingredients that may cause problems for people with allergies or sensitivities.
 
If you are concerned about using generic Tylenol, ask your pharmacist to recommend a good generic product. Some manufacturers are more reliable than others, and your pharmacist can help you choose among the many generic products available.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;