Easy access to paracetamol worries Pharmacy Guild

28 June 2010

The Pharmacy Guild has expressed concern over the easy availability of paracetamol without pharmacists’ advice.

The concern follows media reports that two children in the past three months have had to undergo liver transplants after overdosing on paracetamol, prompting calls for a review of the availability of such medicines.

The guild president and Otara pharmacist Ian Johnson says access to such medicines is currently unlimited in supermarkets.

“…It is optimistic to think that the instructions on the packet are all the advice that the average patient needs,” Mr Johnson says.

“What many people don’t know is that paracetamol is present in multiple over-the-counter products and it is very easy to take more than the recommended daily dose.”

As the medicines experts, he says community pharmacists ensure that patients and their children take the right dosage that is safe for them.

“We are trained to assess the patient’s condition and recommend safe and effective treatments. We ensure patients receive the right medicines for the right reason.”

Today’s Dominion Post report titled “Overdose toddlers need new livers” highlights the cases of two children who overdosed. The report also quotes National Poisons Centre listing paracetamol as the most common substance in the poisoning of children under five, accounting for about 65 per cent of its calls.

In the past five years the centre has been alerted to 1814 children under seven accidentally taking paracetamol, 389 of them needing medical help.

There were 617 notifications of children accidentally taking ibuprofen, with 97 requiring medical help, and 731 notifications of children accidentally taking aspirin, of whom 122 needed medical help.

A spokeswoman from the National Poisons Centre says it is not clear how many of those products were bought over the counter and how many were prescribed. Children took accidental overdoses when they were given the wrong dose unintentionally or found drugs and took them.

Starship hospital child health director Richard Aickin is quoted as saying the cases are rare, but would have life-long ramifications for the children, aged between two and three.

The guild says it is also concerned over the public perception that paracetamol and other readily accessible medicines can be taken without risk.

 

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Concerned Pharmacist (Manawatu) Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Let's not forget the GPs involvement in paracetamol toxicity where children are prescribed 500ml bottles at a time or the elderly are prescribed 2 QID for 3 months (stat =720 tablets). Restrictions to prescribing are equally as important as patient education by pharmacist or pharmacy staff.

WTF Monday, June 28, 2010 How many pharmacists actually come out from behind their counters to talk to patients about little old paracetamol? - NONE! It's a shop girl who takes your money and says thanks very much goodbye. I wonder how often Mr Ian Johnstone personally discusses paracetamol sales with his customers.

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