Experts consider limits on painkiller

AUSTRALIAN medical regulators have called on a panel of experts to review the risks of deliberate overdoses involving easily assessable painkillers such as paracetamol.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has called on a group of academics to unpack the numbers on overdosing reports – including emergency department presentations and hospital admissions relating to paracetamol – in a bid to grasp whether controls on the popular painkiller need to be implemented.

“The TGA is aware of concerns, particularly of families and healthcare professionals of affected consumers of paracetamol, regarding the number of poisonings and deliberate overdoses from paracetamol obtained from general retail outlets, and whether current access restrictions are appropriate,” the regulator said.

“This report is intended to assist the TGA in considering whether any changes to the scheduling of paracetamol, including access or purchasing controls, may be warranted.”

There are currently no formal proposals outlining how regulators could tighten their grip on the drug, although some distributors have toyed with the option to enforce buying limits on the number of packets consumers can buy at supermarkets.

Consumer Healthcare Products Australia, which represents sellers of the drug, have been working with policymakers to boost the safety of over the counter medicines.

“If implemented, consumers purchasing over-the-counter pain relievers (paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin) from supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations would be limited to two packs per transaction,” they said.

According to data, paracetamol was the most frequent drug involved in overdoses. The TGA’S report will be published by regulators in July.