Acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine and Interferon Gamma

• Generic Name: acetaminophen / aspirin / caffeine
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Anacin Advanced Headache Formula, Arthriten, Backaid IPF, Excedrin, Goodys Extra Strength, Goody's Headache Powders, Pain Reliever Plus, Pamprin Max, Uricalm Intensive, Genace, Excedrin Geltab, Supac, Excedrin Migraine, Excedrin Extra Strength, Excedrin Extra Strength Geltab, Excedrin Migraine Geltab, Excedrin Express, Excedrin Menstrual Express, Bayer Migraine Formula, Goodys Headache Powders, Vanquish

Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and a fever reducer.

Aspirin is in a group of drugs called salicylates (sa-LIS-il-ATEs). It works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain, fever, and inflammation.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It relaxes muscle contractions in blood vessels to improve blood flow.

Acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine is a combination medicine used to treat pain caused by tension headaches, migraine headaches, muscle aches, menstrual cramps, arthritis, toothaches, the common cold, or nasal congestion.

Do not use aspirin for heart or blood vessel conditions unless your doctor tells you to.

Acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

• Generic Name: interferon gamma-1b
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Actimmune

Reduction of the frequency and severity of serious infections in patients with chronic granulomatous disease (designated an orphan drug by FDA for this use).

Treatment to delay the time to disease progression in patients with severe, malignant osteopetrosis (designated an orphan drug by FDA for this use).

Interferon gamma-1b was investigated in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) with mild-to-moderate lung function impairment in the INSPIRE study; the study was terminated early when interim data analysis indicated lack of benefit in patients receiving the drug. Interim analysis also indicated that 14.5% of patients receiving interferon gamma 1-b died compared with 12.7% of those receiving placebo.

Interferon gamma-1b is not approved for use in patients with IPF. FDA suggests that health-care professionals should discuss the results of this trial with their patients receiving the drug for IPF and carefully consider whether they should continue to receive treatment with interferon gamma-1b.