To all the grandparents out there with young adults in their care, please keep a careful eye on them.

A 'concerning increase' in adolescent paracetamol misuse was noted in a recent independent expert assessment, which may lead to restrictions on paracetamol sales in Australia.

The national drugs agency is considering restrictions, such as one or two-pack limits per person and a ban on sales to individuals under 18 without a prescription, due to the widespread fear of overdosing among young people.

The medicines regulator might soon put limits on how paracetamol can be sold because of worries about teens who take too much on purpose. Credit: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz.​

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said on Thursday that it would start talking to people about the seven recommendations in the report it had asked for.

The report revealed that girls, especially those between the ages of 15 and 24, had the highest incidence of intentional paracetamol overdose.

Overdosing on paracetamol is a growing problem in Australia, especially in light of recent statistics indicating that approximately nine people per million are sent to hospitals each year with liver injuries and that two of these cases result in the victim's death.

According to reports, drug misuse has claimed roughly fifty lives so far—a worrying trend that is only expected to worsen in the future.

'While hospitalisation and death rates have not increased in recent years, there is a concerning increase of misuse in the community,' the TGA said.

In cases when medical attention is sought within two to six hours after ingestion, the survival probability from a paracetamol overdose is fairly high, according to the regulatory authorities.

However, there is a danger of major liver injury and, in the worst-case scenario, death, if treatment is delayed following ingestion of large amounts of paracetamol.

The expert group stressed the importance of spreading awareness about paracetamol's risks. Credit: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz​

Paracetamol, commonly sold under brand names like Panadol, was the subject of four recommendations from the panel of experts who prepared the report for the TGA.

Some of these measures included limiting purchases to one or two packs to discourage hoarding, and lowering pack sizes available over-the-counter in grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies without a prescription or the advice of a pharmacist.

The purchase of modified-release paracetamol was likewise made prescription-only, and sales were limited to those over the age of 18.

The panel made three more suggestions: talk more about the risks of paracetamol, keep and expand care and support for individuals who harm themselves, and spread the word about safer ways to store medicines and cut down on stockpiling.

The Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling told the TGA that it would be a good idea for the regulatory agency to talk to a lot of people about changing the poison standard. Consultations with the TGA are open until October 14.

If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues, help is always close at hand. Credit: Healthline.​

Members, if you or someone you know is having trouble with their mental health and needs help, there are several places to go. Here are some resources where people can find assistance:

• Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au
• Beyond Blue's coronavirus support service: 1800 512 348 or coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au
• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au
• Headspace: 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au

Please know that assistance is never more than a few calls away and that you or your loved one will always have the love and support of the community behind you.

 

[Mrs P]

"Stop treating we normal humans like irresponsible idiots" Stop censoring our lives like communists...Just STOP.. The stupid will continual to be & do stupid things regardless.....

 

[Mr Benson]

As usual the majority have to be subjected to impositions due to the minority being irresponsible!

 

[Lily]

It is always the minority who pays for those irresponsible. The TGA should make it mandatory the under 18 years old can't have access to Panadol over the counter unless with a prescription. Also the parents should be responsible at home to ensure the Panadol is taken in a safe manner. Those over 18 living on their own should be utterly responsible for their action. If you drink, don't drive. Then please don't take Panadol irresponsibly.

 

[Gaena]

"Stop treating we normal humans like irresponsible idiots" Stop censoring our lives like communists...Just STOP.. The stupid will continual to be & do stupid things regardless.....

Oh this makes my blood boil, have any of the experts saying that Pannadol or similar pain relief products are causing over dose problems in younger people, bothered to work out why teens and young adults are taking so many of the tablets that are causing the problem? Is it for pain relief or the mistaken belief that the tablets will cause a "high", similar to illicit drugs. The stupidity and sheer ignorance of some of the younger generations absolutely staggers me some times. So we; who have far more sense get to pay the penalty for that miss use every time we have, a slight pain or in some cases quite a lot of pain and cannot obtain any relief from the product we have trusted and used for years; not unless we pay to see the doctor and then pay for a prescription. As the saying goes "Not Happy Jan".

 

[Vinylted]

Ye gods, more nanny state/country hysterics, pain killers are increasingly hard to obtain with regulations expanding seemingly day by day all to protect the irresponsible. In the meantime people in pain (as I am) are finding it harder to obtain adequate relief.

 

[Cagey]

Ye gods, more nanny state/country hysterics, pain killers are increasingly hard to obtain with regulations expanding seemingly day by day all to protect the irresponsible. In the meantime people in pain (as I am) are finding it harder to obtain adequate relief.

Yes the nanny state is at it yet again. When are they going to have a common sense attitude? Oh wait, common sense isn't that common any more. Especially
in government. And why do the majority have to pay the penalty instead of the idiot minority?

 

[lozat54]

To all the grandparents out there with young adults in their care, please keep a careful eye on them.

A 'concerning increase' in adolescent paracetamol misuse was noted in a recent independent expert assessment, which may lead to restrictions on paracetamol sales in Australia.

The national drugs agency is considering restrictions, such as one or two-pack limits per person and a ban on sales to individuals under 18 without a prescription, due to the widespread fear of overdosing among young people.

The medicines regulator might soon put limits on how paracetamol can be sold because of worries about teens who take too much on purpose. Credit: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz.​

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said on Thursday that it would start talking to people about the seven recommendations in the report it had asked for.

The report revealed that girls, especially those between the ages of 15 and 24, had the highest incidence of intentional paracetamol overdose.

Overdosing on paracetamol is a growing problem in Australia, especially in light of recent statistics indicating that approximately nine people per million are sent to hospitals each year with liver injuries and that two of these cases result in the victim's death.

According to reports, drug misuse has claimed roughly fifty lives so far—a worrying trend that is only expected to worsen in the future.

'While hospitalisation and death rates have not increased in recent years, there is a concerning increase of misuse in the community,' the TGA said.

In cases when medical attention is sought within two to six hours after ingestion, the survival probability from a paracetamol overdose is fairly high, according to the regulatory authorities.

However, there is a danger of major liver injury and, in the worst-case scenario, death, if treatment is delayed following ingestion of large amounts of paracetamol.

The expert group stressed the importance of spreading awareness about paracetamol's risks. Credit: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz​

Paracetamol, commonly sold under brand names like Panadol, was the subject of four recommendations from the panel of experts who prepared the report for the TGA.

Some of these measures included limiting purchases to one or two packs to discourage hoarding, and lowering pack sizes available over-the-counter in grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies without a prescription or the advice of a pharmacist.

The purchase of modified-release paracetamol was likewise made prescription-only, and sales were limited to those over the age of 18.

The panel made three more suggestions: talk more about the risks of paracetamol, keep and expand care and support for individuals who harm themselves, and spread the word about safer ways to store medicines and cut down on stockpiling.

The Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling told the TGA that it would be a good idea for the regulatory agency to talk to a lot of people about changing the poison standard. Consultations with the TGA are open until October 14.

If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues, help is always close at hand. Credit: Healthline.​

Members, if you or someone you know is having trouble with their mental health and needs help, there are several places to go. Here are some resources where people can find assistance:

• Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au
• Beyond Blue's coronavirus support service: 1800 512 348 or coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au
• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au
• Headspace: 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au

Please know that assistance is never more than a few calls away and that you or your loved one will always have the love and support of the community behind you.

Look I get why there is a need to ensure young people don’t misuse these medications, but yet again, those that need to be able to easily access them might be affected!! I’m sure many of you suffer from osteoarthritis (similar or much worse) & have been disadvantaged by changes to accessing of medications like panadeine/codein combined tablets. These used to be available over the counter but now require a doctors prescription, so time & more costs involved. Most doctors are not bulk billing anymore so the costs are even higher, prohibitive for many! Yet again, those on lower left incomes are hit even hard der!!! When will it stop!!

 

[Mrs P]

Look I get why there is a need to ensure young people don’t misuse these medications, but yet again, those that need to be able to easily access them might be affected!! I’m sure many of you suffer from osteoarthritis (similar or much worse) & have been disadvantaged by changes to accessing of medications like panadeine/codein combined tablets. These used to be available over the counter but now require a doctors prescription, so time & more costs involved. Most doctors are not bulk billing anymore so the costs are even higher, prohibitive for many! Yet again, those on lower left incomes are hit even hard der!!! When will it stop!!

Exactly...It is so stupid, its a pity those who jump into nanny state jerk reactions , didn't suffer on going serious pain.. Then they would realise just how difficult & expensive their cranky decisions are making life for so many...I cannot even get repeat scrips for my Codein based medication that I take with extreme care & always have & yet I must get to my Dr for every repeat & here them ring up & ask "God" if I can have my pain relief.... Its way over the top...

 

[JustPat]

I take 2 panadol a night for pain relief. I am very careful about it after becoming adicted to panadene forte for chronic pain which left me feeling like a zombie and slowly weaned my self of it and onto panadol and then of that as well until about a year ago when I started experiencing foot pain (diagnosed with renauds and told by my GP to take 2 panadol before bead plus another medication but that is all the pain killers I take which gives me some relief.