Motrin

Product brand

Unclaimed Request correction

An ibuprofen-based over-the-counter pain-relief and fever-reduction brand.

Last updated October 5, 2026

AI crawler reads

No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.

Overview

Motrin is a consumer-health brand built around ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to temporarily relieve minor aches and pains and reduce fever. The brand is primarily associated with the United States and Canada and is sold in adult, children’s, and infants’ formulations. Its portfolio has included conventional tablets, liquid-filled capsules, oral suspensions, concentrated infant drops, chewable tablets, migraine-oriented products, nighttime pain-relief products, and combination products containing ibuprofen and acetaminophen. The brand’s roots lie in the development and commercialization of ibuprofen. The compound was discovered in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s by Stewart Adams and John Nicholson while working for Boots. The Upjohn Company subsequently obtained rights to develop and market ibuprofen in the United States. In 1974, Upjohn introduced prescription ibuprofen in the United States under the Motrin name, initially using 300-milligram and 400-milligram tablets. This made Motrin one of the earliest major American brands for ibuprofen, before the ingredient became broadly available without a prescription. A major turning point came in 1989, when Motrin IB was introduced as an over-the-counter 200-milligram ibuprofen product for adults and children aged 12 years and older. The move placed Motrin directly in the mass-market analgesic category and established the Motrin IB name as the central adult product line. Its principal competitive set has included other ibuprofen brands, especially Advil, as well as acetaminophen brands such as Tylenol and aspirin- or naproxen-based products. Ownership changed in the 1990s. In 1997, Pharmacia & Upjohn transferred Motrin IB to Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Products division as part of a broader product exchange. Motrin subsequently became part of the McNeil consumer-health portfolio alongside brands such as Tylenol. During the 2000s and early 2010s, McNeil expanded the line across adult and pediatric dosage forms and flavors, while also dealing with significant manufacturing, recall, and regulatory problems affecting Motrin and other consumer medicines. The most serious brand-related controversy involved a 2008 removal of certain Motrin IB products from retail shelves through third-party purchasing without an immediate public recall announcement. Congressional investigators later characterized the episode as a “phantom recall” or “stealth recall.” The episode damaged confidence in McNeil’s communication and quality systems, although it was distinct from the large 2010 recall of children’s medicines manufactured at McNeil’s Fort Washington facility. The 2010 recall included children’s Motrin products among dozens of other over-the-counter medicines and contributed to broader regulatory scrutiny, litigation, and manufacturing remediation. In 2023, Johnson & Johnson separated its consumer-health business into Kenvue, an independent publicly traded company. Motrin became part of Kenvue’s self-care portfolio. As of 2026, the brand remains active, with current United States offerings including Motrin IB tablets and liquid gels, Motrin IB Migraine, Motrin PM, Children’s Motrin oral suspension and chewables, Infants’ Motrin concentrated drops, and Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol. The brand’s positioning emphasizes accessible, everyday pain and fever care for adults and families, with products intended for use according to labeling and applicable age, dosage, warning, and contraindication requirements.

History

Motrin’s history is closely tied to the development of ibuprofen and the expansion of nonprescription analgesics in the United States. Ibuprofen was discovered in Nottingham, England, in 1961 by Stewart Adams and John Nicholson while working for Boots. The compound was developed as an alternative to aspirin for the treatment of pain and inflammatory conditions. Boots initially commercialized ibuprofen in the United Kingdom under the Brufen name, while licensing and development arrangements allowed The Upjohn Company to pursue the product in the United States. Upjohn received United States approval for ibuprofen in 1974 and launched it under the Motrin name. The original American products were prescription tablets, including 300-milligram and 400-milligram strengths. At this stage, Motrin was positioned as a physician-directed anti-inflammatory and analgesic rather than as a general household medicine. The product’s active ingredient, ibuprofen, works by inhibiting cyclooxygenase enzymes and reducing the production of prostaglandins involved in pain, fever, and inflammation. The brand entered a new phase in 1989 when Motrin IB was approved and marketed over the counter in a 200-milligram strength for adults and children aged 12 years and older. The OTC launch broadened Motrin’s consumer reach and placed it in direct competition with other branded and generic pain relievers. The Motrin IB identity became especially important because it distinguished the lower-dose nonprescription product from the earlier prescription formulations. Tablets, caplets, and later liquid-filled capsules made the brand suitable for different consumer preferences and use occasions. Motrin’s corporate ownership changed during industry consolidation. Pharmacia & Upjohn transferred Motrin IB to Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Products division in 1997. McNeil already had extensive experience in consumer medicines and marketed Motrin alongside other household brands, including Tylenol. Under McNeil, Motrin expanded into children’s oral suspensions, infant drops, chewable tablets, nighttime products, migraine products, and other line extensions. The brand also became part of a broader family-marketing strategy focused on pain, fever, family care, and everyday self-medication. The late 2000s and early 2010s were marked by quality and compliance problems affecting McNeil’s consumer-health operations. In 2008, McNeil arranged for third-party contractors to buy certain adult Motrin IB products from stores after a product-quality concern. Because the company did not initially announce the action as a conventional public recall, investigators and commentators referred to it as a phantom or stealth recall. Congressional hearings later criticized the communication process and questioned whether the Food and Drug Administration had been adequately informed about the method used to remove the products. In 2010, children’s Motrin was included in a much broader recall of children’s and infants’ over-the-counter medicines produced at McNeil’s Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, facility. The recall followed concerns about manufacturing controls and potential quality defects. Although the recall was not based on a general safety problem with ibuprofen as an ingredient, it affected consumer confidence in McNeil’s quality systems and led to extensive regulatory, legal, and corporate scrutiny. Later litigation and government actions addressed alleged adulteration, inadequate manufacturing practices, and the company’s handling of recalls across multiple brands. Johnson & Johnson subsequently reorganized its consumer-health business. In 2023, the business was separated into Kenvue, an independent publicly traded company. Motrin became part of Kenvue’s self-care portfolio, alongside Tylenol, Zyrtec, Benadryl, and other household brands. Kenvue continues to market Motrin in the United States and Canada through adult, pediatric, and infant products. Current offerings include Motrin IB tablets and liquid gels, Motrin IB Migraine, Motrin PM, Children’s Motrin oral suspension and chewables, Infants’ Motrin concentrated drops, and Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol. The brand remains positioned as an everyday OTC option for temporary relief of minor pain and fever, with use governed by product labeling and applicable medical warnings.

2025
Kenvue promotes Motrin combination pain relief
[15]Kenvue pain-care portfolio featurekenvue.com
Kenvue highlights Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol as a product combining ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
2023
Motrin moves to Kenvue
[6]Kenvue corporate separation and consumer productsjnj.com
The Johnson & Johnson consumer-health business becomes Kenvue, and Motrin becomes part of the independent company’s brand portfolio.
2017
Multistate settlement involving McNeil OTC medicines
[13]District of Columbia multistate settlement announcementoag.dc.gov
A multistate settlement addresses allegations concerning adulterated OTC products and inadequate recall practices involving several McNeil brands, including Motrin.
2010
Children’s Motrin included in major McNeil recall
[12]2010 Johnson & Johnson children’s product recallen.wikipedia.org
Children’s Motrin is among the products included in McNeil’s large recall of children’s and infants’ medicines.
2008
Phantom recall controversy
[10]Congressional report on the phantom Motrin recallgovinfo.gov
Certain Motrin IB products are removed from retail shelves through third-party purchases without an immediate conventional public recall announcement.
1997
Motrin IB transfers to Johnson & Johnson
[16]Motrin IB transfers to Johnson & Johnsonlatimes.com
Pharmacia & Upjohn transfers Motrin IB to Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil consumer-products division.
1989
Motrin IB launches over the counter
[3]Motrin IB dosing and OTC historymotrin.com
Motrin IB enters the US OTC market as a 200-milligram ibuprofen product for adults and children aged 12 years and older.
1974
Motrin launches in the United States
[8]Motrin product history from Upjohn recordsupjohn.net
The Upjohn Company introduces prescription ibuprofen in the United States under the Motrin brand.
1969
Ibuprofen first marketed in the United Kingdom
[7]Ibuprofenen.wikipedia.org
Ibuprofen is first sold in the United Kingdom as a prescription medicine under the Brufen name.
1961
Ibuprofen is discovered
[7]Ibuprofenen.wikipedia.org
Stewart Adams and John Nicholson discover ibuprofen while working at Boots in Nottingham, England.

Products and positioning

An accessible, science-based over-the-counter pain and fever brand centered on ibuprofen, serving adults, children, and infants through multiple dosage forms and use occasions.

Prescription ibuprofen tablets · 1974
Motrin
The original US Motrin line was introduced by Upjohn in 1974 as prescription ibuprofen. Early products included 300-milligram and 400-milligram tablets intended for physician-directed treatment of pain and inflammatory conditions. The original prescription positioning established Motrin as a branded ibuprofen product before the brand expanded into consumer OTC medicines.
Adult OTC analgesic and antipyretic · 1989
Motrin IB Ibuprofen Tablets
Motrin IB tablets contain 200 milligrams of ibuprofen and are marketed for the temporary reduction of fever and relief of minor aches and pains. The label-supported use occasions include headache, muscular aches, backache, toothache, minor arthritis pain, menstrual cramps, and pain associated with the common cold. The product is sold without a prescription for adults and children aged 12 years and older, subject to label directions and warnings.
Adult OTC liquid-filled capsule
Motrin IB Liquid Gels
Motrin IB Liquid Gels provide the brand’s 200-milligram ibuprofen formulation in liquid-filled capsules. They extend the adult Motrin IB platform beyond conventional tablets and are marketed for temporary relief of minor aches and pains and fever. The dosage form is designed for consumers who prefer a capsule format while retaining the same ibuprofen active ingredient and core OTC indications.
Pediatric OTC oral suspension
Children's Motrin Ibuprofen Oral Suspension
Children’s Motrin oral suspension is a liquid ibuprofen product intended for children, with flavor and dye-free variants listed in the current US portfolio. It is marketed for temporary relief of children’s minor aches and pains and fever. Pediatric products require age- and weight-appropriate dosing and careful adherence to the package instructions; the line has been offered in flavors including berry, grape, and bubblegum variants at different points in its history.
Infant OTC oral drops
Infants' Motrin Concentrated Drops
Infants’ Motrin is a concentrated ibuprofen liquid supplied in drop form for infant use within the age and weight limits specified on the label. Current offerings include dye-free and flavored versions. The product is designed to provide fever and pain relief for infants when used exactly as directed, with special attention required for dosing, age restrictions, dehydration, and medical advice when symptoms persist.
Combination OTC analgesic
Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol
Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol combines ibuprofen, the active ingredient in Motrin, with acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. Kenvue describes the product as a two-mechanism pain-relief option. Each tablet contains 125 milligrams of ibuprofen and 250 milligrams of acetaminophen, with the product marketed for extended relief of minor aches and pains. Because it contains two active ingredients, consumers must follow the label and avoid duplicate use of medicines containing either ingredient.
Migraine-oriented OTC analgesic
Motrin IB Migraine
Motrin IB Migraine is a liquid-gel ibuprofen product marketed for migraine and headache relief. The product uses 200 milligrams of ibuprofen per capsule and is positioned as an adult pain-relief option for consumers who experience migraine symptoms. Its active ingredient remains the same NSAID used in the wider Motrin IB range, so the product carries the relevant ibuprofen warnings and dosing limitations.
Nighttime OTC pain-relief product
Motrin PM
Motrin PM is a nighttime pain-relief product in the Motrin portfolio. It is marketed in capsule form and is intended for consumers seeking pain relief at bedtime. Exact active ingredients and indications can vary by market and formulation, so the current package Drug Facts label is the controlling source for composition, age limits, contraindications, and dosing.

Controversies

2017
Multistate adulterated-OTC settlement
A multistate government settlement alleged that McNeil sold adulterated versions of several over-the-counter medicines and failed to take adequate recall action. Motrin was among the named products. The matter concerned manufacturing, quality, and compliance practices rather than a finding that all Motrin products or ibuprofen as an ingredient were unsafe.
Source
2010
Children’s Motrin manufacturing and recall controversy
Children’s Motrin was included in a broad McNeil recall involving pediatric and infant medicines manufactured at the Fort Washington facility. Investigations raised concerns about manufacturing controls and quality systems. The event was part of a larger Johnson & Johnson consumer-health crisis rather than evidence that ibuprofen itself was intrinsically defective.
Source
2008
Motrin IB phantom recall
McNeil arranged for third-party contractors to buy certain adult Motrin IB products from retailers after a product-quality concern. The action was not initially communicated to the public as a standard recall, leading congressional investigators to describe it as a phantom or stealth recall and to criticize the company’s transparency and regulatory communications.
Source

2025Relief within reach
United States
Kenvue’s pain-care content presented Motrin alongside other Kenvue brands and highlighted Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol as a two-ingredient option for everyday pain relief.
Outcome. The campaign supported Kenvue’s portfolio-level positioning of Motrin as a modern self-care and pain-management brand.
Source
2008Motrin IB pain-relief advertising and retail activation
United States
Motrin competed in the US OTC analgesic market through product-comparison advertising and retail distribution, including claims and positioning that became part of competitive litigation involving Advil and Johnson & Johnson.
Outcome. The advertising history illustrates the intensity of competition between branded ibuprofen products, although the later phantom-recall controversy overshadowed the brand’s communications record.
Source
1989Motrin IB OTC launch
United States
The launch of Motrin IB moved the brand from a primarily prescription identity into the mass-market OTC analgesic category. The 200-milligram formulation gave consumers nonprescription access to ibuprofen for everyday pain and fever relief and created the enduring Motrin IB platform.
Outcome. Motrin became an established US OTC ibuprofen brand and expanded into multiple adult and pediatric dosage forms.
Source

Brand decisions

2025
Promote Motrin Dual Action with TylenolProduct launch
Background
Kenvue sought to offer consumers a combination pain-relief product that uses two commonly recognized OTC active ingredients with different pharmacological profiles.
Action taken
Kenvue promoted Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol, containing ibuprofen and acetaminophen, as part of its pain-care portfolio.
Aftermath
The product expanded Motrin beyond single-ingredient ibuprofen while requiring consumers to follow combination-product warnings and avoid duplicate active ingredients.
Source
2023
Move Motrin into KenvueStrategy
Background
Johnson & Johnson separated its consumer-health business from its pharmaceutical and medical-device operations.
Action taken
Motrin became part of Kenvue Inc., the independent publicly traded consumer-health company created through the separation.
Aftermath
The brand continued under Kenvue within the self-care category, alongside Tylenol and other consumer-health brands.
Source
2010
Recall pediatric Motrin products amid McNeil quality crisisOther
Background
Manufacturing and quality-control problems at McNeil’s Fort Washington facility affected numerous children’s and infant medicines.
Action taken
Children’s Motrin products were included in McNeil’s broad voluntary recall of pediatric over-the-counter medicines.
Aftermath
The recall contributed to plant remediation, regulatory scrutiny, litigation, and a prolonged rebuilding of trust in McNeil’s consumer-health brands.
Source
2008
Remove selected Motrin IB products through third-party purchasingOther
Background
McNeil identified a product-quality concern involving certain adult Motrin IB products and sought to remove affected units from retail shelves.
Action taken
Third-party contractors purchased products from retailers rather than using a clearly public, conventional recall process.
Aftermath
The method became the subject of congressional hearings, litigation, and criticism from regulators and consumer advocates concerning transparency and recall governance.
Source
1997
Transfer Motrin IB to McNeilM&A
Background
Pharmacia & Upjohn and Johnson & Johnson exchanged selected consumer brands as both companies reshaped their OTC portfolios.
Action taken
Motrin IB was transferred to Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Products division.
Aftermath
Motrin became part of McNeil’s consumer-health portfolio and was marketed alongside major brands such as Tylenol.
Source
1989
Convert Motrin IB to OTC distributionProduct launch
Background
The US market was expanding beyond prescription analgesics, and ibuprofen had become a recognized alternative to aspirin and acetaminophen for pain and fever.
Action taken
Upjohn launched Motrin IB as a 200-milligram nonprescription product for adults and children aged 12 years and older.
Aftermath
The OTC launch broadened Motrin’s consumer audience and established Motrin IB as the brand’s principal adult platform.
Source
1974
Launch Motrin as prescription ibuprofenProduct launch
Background
Upjohn pursued US development and commercialization of ibuprofen after the compound’s discovery and earlier UK commercialization.
Action taken
The company introduced 300-milligram and 400-milligram prescription ibuprofen tablets under the Motrin name.
Aftermath
Motrin became an established US ibuprofen brand and later served as the foundation for an OTC consumer-health franchise.
Source

Recent events

2026
Motrin remains an active Kenvue self-care brand[4]Kenvue brands portfoliokenvue.com
Other
Kenvue’s brand portfolio and Motrin’s official United States website continue to list Motrin among active pain-care brands and offer adult, pediatric, and infant products.
2025
Kenvue continues Motrin pain-care portfolio[15]Kenvue pain-care portfolio featurekenvue.com
Product launch · Campaign
Kenvue highlighted Motrin as one of its pain-care brands and promoted Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol as a combination product using ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
2023
Motrin becomes part of Kenvue’s independent consumer-health portfolio[6]Kenvue corporate separation and consumer productsjnj.com
M&A · Other
Johnson & Johnson separated its consumer-health business into Kenvue, transferring Motrin into the portfolio of the newly independent publicly traded company.
2010
Certain Motrin products recalled for unusual taste and odor[18]Certain Motrin products recalled for unusual taste and odoraccessdata.fda.gov
Recall
McNeil conducted a voluntary recall of certain Motrin lots after complaints involving an unusual taste and smell. The event occurred amid a wider series of quality-related recalls affecting McNeil consumer medicines.
2010
Children’s Motrin included in McNeil children’s-medicine recall[12]2010 Johnson & Johnson children’s product recallen.wikipedia.org
Recall · Regulation
McNeil voluntarily recalled dozens of children’s over-the-counter medicines, including children’s Motrin products, after manufacturing and quality-control concerns at its Fort Washington facility.
1997
Pharmacia & Upjohn transfers Motrin IB to Johnson & Johnson[16]Motrin IB transfers to Johnson & Johnsonlatimes.com
M&A · Other
Motrin IB was transferred to Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil consumer-products division in a broader exchange of consumer-health brands between the companies.
1989
Motrin IB becomes an over-the-counter product[3]Motrin IB dosing and OTC historymotrin.com
Product launch · Regulation
Motrin IB was introduced as a 200-milligram over-the-counter ibuprofen product for adults and children aged 12 years and older.
1974
Upjohn introduces Motrin prescription ibuprofen in the United States[8]Motrin product history from Upjohn recordsupjohn.net
Product launch
The Upjohn Company introduced prescription ibuprofen in the United States under the Motrin name, establishing the brand in the American analgesics market.

Sources18 sources

Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/motrin · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled