‘BEWARE of good marketing.’ Whether they know it or not, more than 50 million Americans use acetaminophen every week, making it the most widely used drug ingredient in the U.S.
Acetaminophen is frequently found in pain relievers and fever reducers, often being the sole active component in numerous drugs. However, due to the extensive marketing of well-known brands, the sales of generic versions of these drugs, which are half the price, surge.
Meanwhile, as drug companies continuously introduce new products to store shelves, a pharmacist's professional warns consumers about the potential for overspending on these new releases.
Last month, Dr. Ethan Melillo (@millennialrx) came out publicly on his informative TikTok account against these name-brand pharmaceutical companies and their marketing tactics. Amassing over 621,00 views and 58,000 likes, Melillo teaches his audience about one of Vicks’ newest medications.
"PainQuil" is a liquid medication designed to alleviate pain, also available in a "PM" format.
This action sparks a surge of doubt among consumers as Melillo positions himself in a video alongside another one showing a customer inspecting the latest non-prescription drug. Melillo then narrates the video with his own unique perspective on the subject.
The problem with PainQuil
“Just when I thought I couldn’t hate the makers of DayQuil and Nyquil even more, they decided to come out with ‘PainQuil,’” Melillo begins.
With visual frustrations on his face, the Rhode Island native continues.
“Pretty much all this is is liquid Tylenol, then all you’re paying for is the name ‘PainQuil.’”
Melillo mentions this because the primary active component in the latest drug is actually just acetaminophen, the common name for the exact same substance present in Tylenol items.
“Honestly, if you need Tylenol, just get the generic store brand.”
Assumably, this is advised because of the price difference. According to the FDA, generic name drugs typically cost about 80% to 85% less than their branded counterparts.
The alcohol consideration
“Also, can we talk about why there is alcohol in acetaminophen?” Melillo continues. “As I said several times, acetaminophen can cause liver damage. Alcohol plus acetaminophen is just a terrible combination for your liver.”
Examining the materials inside PainQuil, Melillo is right. The label on the bottle's back indicates that alcohol is among the inactive components. Yet, the drug itself only has 10% alcohol, possibly added to ensure the other components are uniformly dissolved.
Users noticed these proportions and responded accordingly.
“10% alcohol… You won’t feel anything after that,” one commenter noted.
“I’ll get a Painquil and Coke on the Rocks,” another joked.
However, it is understandable as to why Melillo brought this up. Because acetaminophen is primarily metabolized by the liver, much like alcohol, when combined, it may not always be the best option in regards to long-term health effects and overall liver damage.
What about PainQuil PM?
Melillo then continues on to talk about similar medication, PainQuil PM.
“We really need to talk about this PainQuil PM,” Melillo starts off. “All this is generic Tylenol and then diphenhydramine, […] that is the generic for Benadryl.”
Melillo states that these common medications do not truly act as the most effective sleep remedy.
“I’m sure if any of you have taken Benadryl for sleep, it may put you to sleep, but it doesn’t really give you a well-rested sleep,” Melillo says.
Convinced that this is yet another instance of pharmaceutical marketing savvy, Melillo continues to caution his listeners about possible deceit. Returning to the concept of alcohol present in the drug's components, Melillo once more demonstrates the straightforward nature of PainQuil's formulation.
“This is literally just Tylenol PM with alcohol in it,” Melillo concludes the video.
Is this pharmacist a reliable source?
The pharmacist, currently employed by L'oreal, ensured to back up his assertions with an extensive array of credentials. Following his first year of residency at the University of Houston, situated in Texas, Melillo now leverages his position to inform and teach people about the pharmaceutical sector.
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