Smaller paracetamol packs
August 27, 2013
THE Therapeutic Goods
Administration has confirmed that
the maximum paracetamol pack
size to be sold in Australian retailers
other than pharmacies will be cut
from 25 to 20 tablets from 01 Sep.
The move follows changes to
paracetamol scheduling which were
decided upon in May 2012, and
will be registered on the Federal
Register of Legislative Incidents
in the next few weeks, with the
change to be fully implemented by
the beginning of next month.
The move was made “after
considering the risks of different
pack sizes in Australia.
“It is expected that the decision
will result in fewer people requiring
medical intervention following a
paracetamol overdose,” the TGA
said in a statement.
Paracetamol is unscheduled when
sold in small pack sizes.
It will become illegal for any
retailer other than a pharmacy
(or licensed person authorised
by their State or Territory) to sell
paracetamol packs containing
more than twenty 500 mg tablets/
capsules/caplets on 01 Sep 2013.
The larger paracetamol pack sizes
available in pharmacies will not
change; however the TGA said that
the smaller packs in pharmacies
may contain 20 tablets rather than
the current 24.
Currently about 8000 patients
are treated in Australia every year
for paracetamol overdose taken
as deliberate self-harm, with
the median amount taken in an
overdose being 12g (one packet).
“The pack size seems to be linked
to the amount of paracetamol
consumed in an overdose,” the TGA
said, with the change therefore
made on safety grounds.
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