Tylenol was invented and developed by Robert L. McNeil Jr., an American chemist. He was responsible for the commercial development, naming, and introduction of Tylenol, which is based on acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol). Tylenol was first sold in 1955 as a prescription medication for children and later became an over-the-counter product. McNeil recognized the potential for acetaminophen as a pain reliever that did not cause the stomach irritation common with aspirin and led the effort to bring it to market under the Tylenol brand name.
Paracetamol, the active ingredient in Tylenol, was originally discovered in the 19th century by other chemists, including French chemist Charles Gerhardt in 1852 and Harmon Northrop Morse who synthesized it in 1877. However, it was McNeil who transformed it into the widely used medicine known today as Tylenol.
