Does acetaminophen contain wheat or gluten as an excipient?

We cross-check each acetaminophen product label against four data sources: DailyMed (FDA Structured Product Labels), the European Medicines Agency centrally-authorised medicines database, the Plogsted curated gluten-free drug list, and the 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric pharmacy NDC analysis. Inactive ingredients are scanned against a 146-entry red-flag dictionary covering wheat, barley, rye, malt, source-ambiguous starches, and FDA gluten-free attestation phrases. Mostly yes — but worth a quick call to the manufacturer for some generics. Of 18 product labels we checked, 9 are clean, 0 are confirmed gluten-free by the maker, and 9 contain an inactive ingredient (typically a source-ambiguous starch) whose botanical origin isn't fully disclosed. None contained confirmed gluten.

Can different manufacturers' generic versions of acetaminophen have different gluten status?

Yes. Generics in the United States must use the same active ingredient as the brand, but they are not required to use the same inactive ingredients. Two generics of acetaminophen from different manufacturers can use entirely different starch sources, binders, and fillers. A pharmacy may also switch which manufacturer it dispenses between fills without notifying you. Each manufacturer-specific entry below corresponds to a separately-filed product label.

DailyMed checked live · reference data updated May 17, 2026 · 18 product labels screened

Is acetaminophen gluten-free?

Looks mostly clean — worth verifying with the maker. Mostly yes — but worth a quick call to the manufacturer for some generics. Of 18 product labels we checked, 9 are clean, 0 are confirmed gluten-free by the maker, and 9 contain an inactive ingredient (typically a source-ambiguous starch) whose botanical origin isn't fully disclosed. None contained confirmed gluten.

Drug context

About acetaminophen

Acetaminophen is the common analgesic and antipyretic also marketed as paracetamol, sold under brand names including Tylenol.

Why this matters

Different manufacturers, different ingredients

Generics of acetaminophen use the same active ingredient, but they aren't required to use the same inactive ingredients. Your pharmacy may switch which manufacturer they dispense between fills, sometimes without telling you. The list below shows each manufacturer's product label as a separate entry, because that's the granularity that actually matters when you're celiac.

The labels

The 18 we checked

01

Select Consumer Group LLC worth a call to confirm

US label (DailyMed) · TYLENOL EXTRA STRENGTH (ACETAMINOPHEN) TABLET, FILM COATED [SELECT CONSUMER GROUP LLC] · label dated Jun 29, 2026

Worth a call to the maker: SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A

Inactive ingredients ALUMINUM OXIDE · CARNAUBA WAX · FD&C RED NO. 40 · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POWDERED CELLULOSE · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SHELLAC · SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A · STARCH, CORN · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
02

Actavis worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen tablet 2.5/325 [Actavis] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
03

Actavis worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen tablet 2.5/500 [Actavis] · label dated 2019-04-23
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04

Actavis worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen tablet 5/325 [Actavis] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
05

Actavis worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen tablet 5/500 [Actavis] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
06

Actavis worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen tablet 7.5/325 [Actavis] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
07

Actavis worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen tablet 7.5/500 [Actavis] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
08

Actavis worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen tablet 10/325 [Actavis] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
09

Actavis worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen tablet 10/500 [Actavis] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
10

Forreal Pharmaceuticals, LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · ACETAMINOPHEN 650MG (ACETAMINOPHEN) TABLET [FORREAL PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC] · label dated Jun 29, 2026

Inactive ingredients CARNAUBA WAX · CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MALTODEXTRIN · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYSORBATE 80 · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · STEARIC ACID · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
11

St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · OXYCODONE AND ACETAMINOPHEN TABLET [ST. MARY'S MEDICAL PARK PHARMACY] · label dated Jun 29, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSPOVIDONE (120 .MU.M) · D&C YELLOW NO. 10 · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · STARCH, CORN · STEARIC ACID
View source label →
12

St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · OXYCODONE HYDROCHLORIDE AND ACETAMINOPHEN TABLET [ST. MARY'S MEDICAL PARK PHARMACY] · label dated Jun 29, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · CROSPOVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · STARCH, CORN · TALC
View source label →
13

Select Consumer Group LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · TYLENOL SINUS SEVERE (ACETAMINOPHEN, GUAIFENESIN, AND PHENYLEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE) TABL… · label dated Jun 29, 2026

Inactive ingredients CARNAUBA WAX · CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE, UNSPECIFIED · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · SUCRALOSE · TITANIUM DIOXIDE · TRIACETIN
View source label →
14

CalmCo LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · DR KIDS PAIN AND FEVER (ACETAMINOPHEN) CHEWABLE GEL [CALMCO LLC] · label dated Jun 29, 2026

Inactive ingredients BETADEX · CARRAGEENAN · CORN SYRUP · SUCRALOSE · SUCROSE · WATER
View source label →
15

The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · VICKS ZZZQUIL NIGHT PAIN (DIPHENHYDRAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND ACETAMINOPHEN) TABLET, COAT… · label dated Jun 29, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · D&C RED NO. 27 ALUMINUM LAKE · FD&C BLUE NO. 1 · FD&C BLUE NO. 1 ALUMINUM LAKE · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · GELATIN · GLYCERIN · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MALTODEXTRIN · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYVINYL ACETATE PHTHALATE · POVIDONE · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SILICON DIOXIDE · STARCH, CORN · STEARIC ACID · TITANIUM DIOXIDE · WATER
View source label →
16

St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · OXYCODONE AND ACETAMINOPHEN TABLET [ST. MARY'S MEDICAL PARK PHARMACY] · label dated Jun 26, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSPOVIDONE (120 .MU.M) · FD&C BLUE NO. 1 · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · STARCH, CORN · STEARIC ACID
View source label →
17

St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · OXYCODONE AND ACETAMINOPHEN TABLET [ST. MARY'S MEDICAL PARK PHARMACY] · label dated Jun 26, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSPOVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POVIDONE K30 · SILICON DIOXIDE · STARCH, CORN · STEARIC ACID · WATER
View source label →
18

St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · HYDROCODONE BITARTRATE AND ACETAMINOPHEN TABLET [ST. MARY'S MEDICAL PARK PHARMACY] · label dated Jun 26, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSPOVIDONE (15 MPA.S AT 5%) · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · STARCH, CORN · STEARIC ACID
View source label →

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Background

What “gluten in a medication” actually means

Gluten enters drugs through their excipients — the inactive ingredients used to bind, coat, fill, or stabilize the dose. The main concern is wheat starch as a filler. Source-ambiguous starches (plain “starch”, pregelatinized starch, sodium starch glycolate, modified starch) get flagged for verification because their botanical origin isn't always disclosed on the label.

The 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric NDC analysis (689 NDCs across the top 100 pediatric medications) found 1.5% contained gluten outright; another 25.7% couldn't be confirmed either way. Liquid and oral-suspension formulations carry disproportionate risk because wheat starch is a common thickener. Full methodology →

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