Name: Bobbie Stucki

Organization: Tylenol, McNeil Consumer Healthcare

Crisis Situation: There has been 123 deaths since 1969 related to over the
counter cough and cold medicine overdoses, most have been
children under the age of 2. The FDA was going to hold a
hearing about the effectiveness of the products, but before it
happened Tylenol voluntarily recalled all infant cough and cold
medicine. McNeil Consumer Healthcare released a press release
that can be found on Tylenol.com stating what has happened
and why.

Date: October 2007

Hypothetical date: October 11, 2007

Audience: The audience I will be addressing is the general public through

the major media outlets (National Television and National
Papers)

Perception: The audience I will be addressing is Animated. The audience an

animated audience perceives the crisis as high severity but low
responsibility because there has been several deaths related to
overdoses but Tylenol is not completely responsible for the
deaths because the parents did not administer the correct
dosage.

Strategies: The strategies that I will be using in the crisis briefing are to
reduce offensiveness (bolstering and compensation), and
corrective action. I will be using bolstering so that I can reduce
any negative feeling s towards Tylenol for the voluntary recall. I
want to increase positive feelings toward Tylenol. I will be using
compensation

Brief Overview of Crisis:

In October 2007 the FDA was set to have a hearing about the safety and
effectiveness of cough and cold medicine for children 2 and under. Tylenol and
other manufacturers of Infant Cough and Cold medicine voluntarily pulled medicine
from the shelves before the hearing took place. 123 recorded deaths have
happened since 1969. The cause of the deaths are because of parents giving their
children too much medicine.

The FDA was going to have the hearing because doctors and parents have said that
there is not enough information backing up the effectiveness of infant and children
cough and cold medicine in young children. Not only has Tylenol pulled their infant
cough and cold medicine from the shelves other companies with similar products
have done the same.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare published a press release informing customers of the

products that were recalled and what is happening with the company right now.
The press release states that the products are recognized as safe and effective
when used as directed. It also states that if a parent has any questions about their
children’s health that they are to contact their pediatrician. (press release)

The Houston Chronicle, the Wall Street Journal, MSNBC.com, and the USA Today, all
published the same information about the voluntary recall that Tylenol and other
companies participated in October. Each of these articles stated that the FDA was
going to investigate the effectiveness of infant cough and cold medicine that is
currently on the market. It is also stated that there is a lack of studies that support
the use of infant cough and cold medicine. Each article states that the best method
for helping a child through a sickness is a humidifier, keeping them hydrated, and
lots of love. If the sicknesslasts more than a couple of days then the parent is to
contact their pediatrician. Each article also states that parents are not to give their
infants medicine made for adults or children, because the infant will be at a huge
risk of an overdose which is the reason the medicine that is made for infants was
pulled from the shelf in the first place.

Background

I am playing the role of Ashley McEvoy, President McNeil Consumer Healthcare, I am

under pressure to explain and justify the voluntary removal of infant cold medicine
from shelves. The FDA is going to hold a hearing in October about the effectiveness
of cold medicine for children younger than 2 years old. 123 Children have died from
ingredients in cold medicine since 1969, most of them were under the age of 2.

In a recent press release (October 11, 2007), Tylenolannounced the voluntary

removal of all infant cough and cold products because of the upcoming hearing by
the FDA. Tylenol has stated that when the products are used as directed they are
“generally safe and effective,” but that there is a small chance of overdose mostly
in children 2 and under.

I am holding a press conference on October 11, 2007 for the general public in order
to dispel any fears about infant cough and cold medicine.

Crisis Briefing

Specific Purpose: To explain the reason behind removing the product from the
shelves and to restore the public’s trust in Tylenol products.

Strategic Summary: Reduce offensiveness (bolstering and compensation), and

corrective action.

Introduction
 I. Your child’s safety is our number one priority. (Press Release)
II. The cough and cold season is coming up your children’s health is very
important.

(Trans: Let me begin by bringing to light some of the circumstances surrounding the
voluntary recall)
Narrative

Many of you have been to the store or seen in the news that we have voluntarily
removed all Tylenol Infant cough and cold medicine from the shelves of all stores.
As reported by the Houston Chronicle there have been 123 deaths, mostly children
under two, in almost fortyyears of use. The deaths occurred because of accidental
overdose of over the counter cough and cold medicine. Each child’s death is a tragic
occurrence, and your child’s health is our number one priority.

All Tylenol products are safe when used as directed, but there has been “rare
instances” of overdose especially in children younger than two. That is why we
have voluntarily withdrawn the products from store shelves. We have always had a
“longstanding commitment to the appropriate use of medications by parents and
physicians. We realize that there are questions regarding what parents should do
now that the medicine is no longer offered for infants.

(Trans: Let me help with your concerns)

Refutation

I. First, parents are concerned about what they should do when their child is
congested and coughing.
a. I recommend, as we always have, that the best course of action is
follow guidelines used by our parents and pediatricians (cough drugs
for kids spark concern). They are that you alleviate the discomfort by
using a humidifier, keeping the child hydrated, and suctioning the
child’s nose.
b. If the condition worsens we highly recommend contacting your
pediatrician.
i. By following these simple steps that I have recommended you
will be able to help your child be more comfortable during his or
her cold.

(Trans: In addition to parents concerns on how to deal with a child’s cold, we also
want to warn parents about the potential dangers of using adult or children’s cough
and cold medicine for children under the age of two)

II. Second, parents may say that since their child is sick they are going to
use adult or children’s cough and cold medicine to help with some of the
symptoms.
 a. The concentrations of the medicines for adults, children, and infants’
are all different.
b. We do not want parents to guess what the correct dosage is to give an
infant that is sick
c. The correct action is to contact your pediatrician if the first steps
recommended do not help.
i. Again, we at Tylenol hold your childs health as our number one
priority.

(Trans: Now that you know some background of Infant Tylenol Cold and Cough
medicine, I would like make a couple of more points.)

Arguments

I. First, we acknowledge that there have been few deaths associated with
some of the ingredients in cold and cough medicines according to the FDA
(Cough Drugs for kids spark concern) .
a. These deaths have been mostly in children under two.
b. The safety of our customers is our number one priority.
c. That is why we have removed the infant cough and cold medicine from
the shelves.
d. We currently are researching the effectiveness of the products in
question and will again sell the products when they have been proven
to be effective.
e. It is my firm belief that when the cough and cold products return to the
shelves they will be much more effective than ever before.

(Trans: We want to make sure that the products that you purchase from us are what
we promise they are. We would like to compensate you for any trouble that you
may have.)

II. Second, we understand that many are saying that we sold the products
taken from the shelves for profit only.
a. I am telling you now that is not the case.
b. We at Tylenol are willing to compensate you for any trouble we may
have caused you through this ordeal.
c. We ask you to log on to Tylenol.com and print off a $5.00 coupon as
compensation for your trouble.

(Trans: Now that you understand what Tylenol is doing to correct any
inconveniences that may have been caused by the recall, let me conclude this
briefing.)

Conclusion

I. Today I have explained what Tylenol is doing to make sure that you our
customer get the best possible product that we can produce.
 a. I encourage you to follow the simple guidelines that I have provided
you, they are also found on the Tylenol website.
b. I also urge you to not give your children the wrong medicine for their
age.
II. We also want you to know that we are doing everything that we can to
provide you with a safe and effective product. Thanks.

References

Tylenol Press Release (October, 2007), “Press Release: McNeil Consumer Healthcare
is Volunatrily Withdrawing Infant’s Couhg and Cold Products.” [Online]. Available:
http://www.tylenol.com/page.jhtml?id=tylenol/news/subpressrelease_101007.inc

Tylenol.com (November), “News about Infants’ and Children’s Cough and Cold
Medicines.” [Online]. Available:
http://www.tylenol.com/page.jhtml?id=tylenol/news/subpcccoldmed.inc

Mathews, A., Bernstein, E. (2007, October 2). “Cough Drugs for Kids Spark
Concern.” Wall Street Journal, B11.

Iwata, E. (2007, December 1). “Kid’s Cold Drugs Pulled.” USA Today, Money 1b.

MSNBC.com (2007, October 18), “FDA Pressed on Infant Cold Medicine Safety.”
[online]. Available:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21358928/print/1/displaymode/1098/

Jordy, Y. (2007, October 20), “Kids Cold Drug Alert Issued: FDA Panel Says Children
Under 6 Should Not Take Such Products.” The Houston Chronicle