Acetaminophen is an analgesic, painkiller, drug used to treat things such as headaches, arthritis, and also helps to reduce fever. Acetaminophen is often used as an alternative to aspirin. Aspirin could not be used by people with ulcers or kids, therefore another drug had to be created that acted as a pain reliever for everyone. This is when phenacetin was invented. However, phenacetin was found be cancerous. Finally, a patent for acetaminophen was issued in 195. The drug did not begin selling until two years later and was first sold by Sterling Winthrop Company. Tylenol is the leading medicine sold that contains acetaminophen. By the mid 1970's and 1980's aspirin sales had declined and phenacetin had been taken off the market completely. This was the coming of age for acetaminophen.