Paracetamol pack sizes to be slashed to cut overdose risk

Paracetamol pack sizes are to be slashed to cut the risk of overdose find out how many you can get in a pack under the changes.

Paracetamol pack sizes will be slashed to just 16 tablets in supermarkets and customers will only be able to purchase one pack at a time, under proposed new sales guidelines.

The nation’s medicines watchdog the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will also cut the number of tablets able to be sold by pharmacies without the supervision of a chemist from 100 to just 32.

Pack sizes of up to 100 tablets or capsules will only be available under the supervision of a pharmacist.

The interim decision published on the TGA website on Friday is an attempt by the watchdog to stem accidental and deliberate overdoses using the pain medication.

Each year in Australia around 225 people are hospitalised and 50 Australians die from paracetamol overdose.

Adolescents and young adults have the highest rates of overdose and to make it harder for people to take too many pills at once the TGA wants them sold in blister packaging.

Paracetamol packs sizes to be slashed Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

“To further minimise the harm from paracetamol overdose, the TGA is encouraging retailers such as supermarkets to restrict sales to a single pack at a time,” the watchdog said in a statement.

Fearful that consumers will race to purchase the pills ahead of the changes, the TGA asked consumers ”not to stockpile paracetamol in the home and to appropriately store paracetamol and other medicines”.

The interim decision follows a public consultation held last year and is open for public consultation until March 3.

Consumer Healthcare Products Australia (CHP Australia) which represents the medicines industry commended the TGA’s interim decision.

“As the association representing manufacturers and distributors of non-prescription medicines, including over-the-counter pain medicines, CHP Australia and our members share the community’s deep concern regarding the many complex factors, including those related to mental health, involved in the misuse of medicines,” it said in a statement.

“CHP Australia was among the early advocates for Australia’s Quality Use of Medicines policy, and remains absolutely committed to supporting medicines safety,” the organisation said.

If you or someone you know is suffering poor mental health contact one of the services below (dial 000 in an emergency):

Lifeline Australia 13 11 14

Suicide Call Back 1300 659 467

Kids Help Line 1800 551 800

BeyondBlue 1300 224 636

Originally published as Paracetamol pack sizes to be slashed to cut overdose risk