NOVEMBER 17, 2023
New Topical Analgesic Carries Tylenol Name
A new, over-the-counter topical analgesic with lidocaine as the active ingredient is the first to carry the Tylenol name.
Tylenol Precise has the maximum strength of 4% lidocaine allowed for OTC topical analgesics combined with 1% menthol.
“Lidocaine and menthol at these usage levels have a long history of safety and efficacy that is recognized by the FDA. Now, what sets Tylenol Precise apart from maybe what else is out there? It really has to do with how we formulated it based on consumer feedback,” Eleanor Small, PhD, a research and development scientist at Kenvue, in Philadelphia, told Pain Medicine News at the 2023 PAINWeek meeting, held in Las Vegas.
According to Small, Tylenol consumers were surveyed and about 37% reported dissatisfaction with the oiliness or residue that is left on their skin after using other topical analgesics. Nearly 25% of consumers said current topical treatments didn’t absorb well. Seventy-three percent of Tylenol internal users also purchase topical analgesics, suggesting a strong demand.
“We know skincare. We know how to make formulas that absorb well. We know how to make formulas that don't leave residue. We know how to make formulas that have a pleasant use experience. And we said, “Well, let’s take that and apply it to topical pain-relieving creams,’” Small said.
—Landon Gray
