(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — New research released today by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association’s (CHPA) Health In Hand Foundation shows that after 15 years of public education, more Americans know how to take medicines with acetaminophen safely.
Since 2010, the Health In Hand Foundation has conducted a nationwide tri-annual survey of consumers about their knowledge of acetaminophen safe use and the risks of misuse. The online survey also examined key measures of consumer behavior, such as reading the label for dosing directions and understanding the risks associated with exceeding the maximum daily dose.
This year’s research release comes during National Older Americans Month—a time to spotlight the unique health needs of people 65 and older. The 2025 nationwide survey shows that 75% of older adults experience chronic pain, reinforcing the need to provide education on the safe use of acetaminophen to manage ongoing pain symptoms.
Other key findings of the 2025 survey include:
- 86% of Americans know that taking more than the maximum daily dose of acetaminophen can lead to liver damage, in comparison with 89% in 2022 and 81% in 2010
- 91% say it’s important to follow the dosing directions, up from 90% in 2022 and 78% in 2010
- 97% say it’s important to check the label to find the maximum daily dose, consistent with 97% in 2022 and up from 95% in 2010
- 81% agree that they should not take more than one medicine with acetaminophen at the same time, compared to 82% in 2022 and 84% in 2010
“It is encouraging to see the majority of consumers understanding how to safely choose and use products containing acetaminophen, and we are committed to ongoing educational initiatives that increase risk awareness and safe use behaviors,” said Mary Leonard, Executive Director, CHPA Health In Hand Foundation. “The Know Your Dose campaign – which was established by the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition (AAC) in 2011 – has reached millions of consumers and healthcare providers with free educational resources on how to safely use medicines that contain acetaminophen. During National Older Americans Month, we recognize that nearly three-quarters of older adults experience chronic pain and remain dedicated to promoting educational resources on using acetaminophen safely and responsibly.”
“Acetaminophen is in hundreds of prescription and OTC medicines,” said Brigid Groves, Vice President, Professional Affairs, American Pharmacists Association (APhA). “These medicines are safe and effective when used as directed, but it is critical that patients read the label and take only one medicine containing acetaminophen at a time. As a member of the AAC, APhA welcomes National Older Americans Month as an opportunity to further highlight the importance of safe medicine use and remains committed to our continued public education efforts surrounding acetaminophen safety.”
See the research infographic here.
About the Survey
The Health In Hand Foundation commissioned YouGov to conduct an online survey of 1,332 U.S. adults (age 18+) respondents, including 263 older adults (age 65+) who have taken an over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medicine containing acetaminophen in the last six months. The survey was conducted in both English and Spanish from March 14 – March 20, 2025.