Changes to Paracetamol Sales in Australia
Changes are coming into effect from February 1 about how paracetamol is sold in Australia. This mainly affects pack sizes of paracetamol sold outside pharmacies and how paracetamol is accessed in pharmacies.
What is Paracetamol?
Paracetamol is commonly sold under brand names such as Panadol, Dymadon and Panamax. It’s used to treat mild pain and fever for short periods or can be prescribed for chronic (long-term) pain. Millions of packs of this cheap and accessible medicine are sold in Australia every year.
Why are the Rules Changing?
In 2022, we wrote about how the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) was considering changes to paracetamol access because of an increase in people going to hospital with paracetamol poisoning. An expert review it commissioned found there were about 40-50 deaths every year from paracetamol poisoning between 2007 and 2020. Between 2009-10 and 2016-17, hospital admissions for this increased (from 8,617 to 11,697), before reducing in 2019-20 (8,723). Most admissions were due to intentional self-poisonings, and about half of these were among people aged ten to 24.
What Else Do I Need to Know?
These changes have been introduced to reduce the risk of poisonings from people exceeding recommended doses. The overall safety profile of paracetamol has not changed. Paracetamol is still available from all current locations and there are no plans to make it prescription-only or remove it from supermarkets altogether. Many companies have already been updating their packaging to ensure there are no gaps in supply.
So What’s Changing?
The key changes being introduced relate to new rules about the pack sizes that can be sold outside pharmacies, and the location of products sold in pharmacies. From February 1, packs sold in supermarkets and places other than pharmacies will reduce from a maximum 20 tablets to 16 tablets per pack. These changes bring Australia in line with other countries. In all jurisdictions except Queensland and Western Australia, packs sold in pharmacies larger than 50 tablets will move behind the pharmacy counter and can only be sold under pharmacist supervision.
Conclusion
The changes to paracetamol sales in Australia aim to reduce the risk of poisonings from people exceeding recommended doses. The overall safety profile of paracetamol has not changed, and paracetamol is still available from all current locations. These changes are designed to ensure that Australians can still access this essential medicine while reducing the risk of harm.
FAQs
Q: Why are the rules changing?
A: The rules are changing to reduce the risk of poisonings from people exceeding recommended doses of paracetamol.
Q: What is changing?
A: The pack sizes of paracetamol sold outside pharmacies will reduce from a maximum 20 tablets to 16 tablets per pack. Larger packs sold in pharmacies will move behind the pharmacy counter and can only be sold under pharmacist supervision.
Q: Will paracetamol still be available in supermarkets?
A: Yes, paracetamol will still be available in supermarkets, but the pack sizes will be reduced.
Q: Will I need to go to the pharmacy counter to buy larger packs of paracetamol?
A: Yes, if you buy large packs of paracetamol for chronic pain, you’ll need to go to the pharmacy counter.
Q: Are there any exceptions to these changes?
A: Yes, children’s products, slow-release formulations, and products already behind the pharmacy counter or only available via prescription are not affected by these changes.
