In the not too distant future, paracetamol may become a ‘controlled substance’. as in recent years there has been a worrying trend of people deliberately (and ocassionally, accidentally) overdosing.

The increase in the reports, which include emergency department presentations and hospital admissions relating to paracetamol, has alarmed authorities enough to take action.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has announced that it will review the risks associated with these drugs, assessing if a policy for controlling the accessibility of popular painkillers needs to be put in place.

Paracetamol may not be as easy to get given that policymakers are now assessing whether the purchase of these painkillers should be regulated. Credit: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett.​

The regulator said: “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."

“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.”

While there are currently no formal proposals outlining how the regulation on painkillers would take place in pharmacies and supermarkets, some distributors said that they're testing out the idea of enforcing buying limits on the number of packets customers can purchase.

A spokesperson from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare — the distributor which sells Panadol in the country — said that the company acknowledges the need for regulating the accessibility of paracetamol for immediate therapeutic needs and the practical measures to support correct use.

“We share the community’s concern over the intentional misuse of medicines and the complex mental health challenges that underlie this behaviour."

Meanwhile, Consumer Healthcare Products Australia, a group representing retailers of pharmaceutics, expressed their full support for the purchase limit at non-pharmacy sites. However, the group said that it has reservations on a complete regulation makeover.

The body also claimed that they are currently working with policymakers to boost the safety of over the counter medicines.

“We believe a responsible and balanced measure is to implement a two-pack purchase limit for all single active ingredient oral analgesics, sold outside of the pharmacy, including all online sales in addition to supermarkets and other general retail outlets,” the group said.

“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.”

It should be noted that in 2019, it was reported that paracetamol was the leading drug that caused overdose deaths across the world.

It was said that TGA's expert review report will be published by regulators in July.

What are your thoughts on this? Should the government regulate the distribution of paracetamol and other painkillers?

 

[JayKay]

Sadly, if anyone wants lots of packets, they will get them, regardless of Government restrictions.

 

[Ricci]

So now people that want to overdose will have to go to several outlets to get enough. Do the regulators think we are all stupid and not able to get a work around, or maybe they think we'll give up the idea as all too much trouble. People who have decided to end it will always find a way and if not by pills then something else.

 

[Glenys R]

Policymakers assess if purchase of paracetamols should be regulated after ALARMING number of overdose cases​

In the not too distant future, paracetamol may become a ‘controlled substance’. as in recent years there has been a worrying trend of people deliberately (and ocassionally, accidentally) overdosing.

The increase in the reports, which include emergency department presentations and hospital admissions relating to paracetamol, has alarmed authorities enough to take action.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has announced that it will review the risks associated with these drugs, assessing if a policy for controlling the accessibility of popular painkillers needs to be put in place.

Paracetamol may not be as easy to get given that policymakers are now assessing whether the purchase of these painkillers should be regulated. Credit: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett.​

The regulator said: “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."

“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.”

While there are currently no formal proposals outlining how the regulation on painkillers would take place in pharmacies and supermarkets, some distributors said that they're testing out the idea of enforcing buying limits on the number of packets customers can purchase.

A spokesperson from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare — the distributor which sells Panadol in the country — said that the company acknowledges the need for regulating the accessibility of paracetamol for immediate therapeutic needs and the practical measures to support correct use.

“We share the community’s concern over the intentional misuse of medicines and the complex mental health challenges that underlie this behaviour."

Meanwhile, Consumer Healthcare Products Australia, a group representing retailers of pharmaceutics, expressed their full support for the purchase limit at non-pharmacy sites. However, the group said that it has reservations on a complete regulation makeover.

The body also claimed that they are currently working with policymakers to boost the safety of over the counter medicines.

“We believe a responsible and balanced measure is to implement a two-pack purchase limit for all single active ingredient oral analgesics, sold outside of the pharmacy, including all online sales in addition to supermarkets and other general retail outlets,” the group said.

“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.”

It should be noted that in 2019, it was reported that paracetamol was the leading drug that caused overdose deaths across the world.

It was said that TGA's expert review report will be published by regulators in July.

What are your thoughts on this? Should the government regulate the distribution of paracetamol and other painkillers?

 

[Strawb]

Policymakers assess if purchase of paracetamols should be regulated after ALARMING number of overdose cases​

In the not too distant future, paracetamol may become a ‘controlled substance’. as in recent years there has been a worrying trend of people deliberately (and ocassionally, accidentally) overdosing.

The increase in the reports, which include emergency department presentations and hospital admissions relating to paracetamol, has alarmed authorities enough to take action.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has announced that it will review the risks associated with these drugs, assessing if a policy for controlling the accessibility of popular painkillers needs to be put in place.

Paracetamol may not be as easy to get given that policymakers are now assessing whether the purchase of these painkillers should be regulated. Credit: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett.​

The regulator said: “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."

“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.”

While there are currently no formal proposals outlining how the regulation on painkillers would take place in pharmacies and supermarkets, some distributors said that they're testing out the idea of enforcing buying limits on the number of packets customers can purchase.

A spokesperson from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare — the distributor which sells Panadol in the country — said that the company acknowledges the need for regulating the accessibility of paracetamol for immediate therapeutic needs and the practical measures to support correct use.

“We share the community’s concern over the intentional misuse of medicines and the complex mental health challenges that underlie this behaviour."

Meanwhile, Consumer Healthcare Products Australia, a group representing retailers of pharmaceutics, expressed their full support for the purchase limit at non-pharmacy sites. However, the group said that it has reservations on a complete regulation makeover.

The body also claimed that they are currently working with policymakers to boost the safety of over the counter medicines.

“We believe a responsible and balanced measure is to implement a two-pack purchase limit for all single active ingredient oral analgesics, sold outside of the pharmacy, including all online sales in addition to supermarkets and other general retail outlets,” the group said.

“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.”

It should be noted that in 2019, it was reported that paracetamol was the leading drug that caused overdose deaths across the world.

It was said that TGA's expert review report will be published by regulators in July.

What are your thoughts on this? Should the government regulate the distribution of paracetamol and other painkillers?

Policymakers assess if purchase of paracetamols should be regulated after ALARMING number of overdose cases​

In the not too distant future, paracetamol may become a ‘controlled substance’. as in recent years there has been a worrying trend of people deliberately (and ocassionally, accidentally) overdosing.

The increase in the reports, which include emergency department presentations and hospital admissions relating to paracetamol, has alarmed authorities enough to take action.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has announced that it will review the risks associated with these drugs, assessing if a policy for controlling the accessibility of popular painkillers needs to be put in place.

Paracetamol may not be as easy to get given that policymakers are now assessing whether the purchase of these painkillers should be regulated. Credit: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett.​

The regulator said: “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."

“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.”

While there are currently no formal proposals outlining how the regulation on painkillers would take place in pharmacies and supermarkets, some distributors said that they're testing out the idea of enforcing buying limits on the number of packets customers can purchase.

A spokesperson from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare — the distributor which sells Panadol in the country — said that the company acknowledges the need for regulating the accessibility of paracetamol for immediate therapeutic needs and the practical measures to support correct use.

“We share the community’s concern over the intentional misuse of medicines and the complex mental health challenges that underlie this behaviour."

Meanwhile, Consumer Healthcare Products Australia, a group representing retailers of pharmaceutics, expressed their full support for the purchase limit at non-pharmacy sites. However, the group said that it has reservations on a complete regulation makeover.

The body also claimed that they are currently working with policymakers to boost the safety of over the counter medicines.

“We believe a responsible and balanced measure is to implement a two-pack purchase limit for all single active ingredient oral analgesics, sold outside of the pharmacy, including all online sales in addition to supermarkets and other general retail outlets,” the group said.

“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.”

It should be noted that in 2019, it was reported that paracetamol was the leading drug that caused overdose deaths across the world.

It was said that TGA's expert review report will be published by regulators in July.

What are your thoughts on this? Should the government regulate the distribution of paracetamol and other painkillers?

Posts like this cause me concern. As a sufferer of chronic pain I rely on painkillers to get through the day. Paracetamol is something that I rarely use unless I have a headache, but, restrictions can flow onto the stronger drugs that I am on. Yes, people do overdose on them, but I am not one to do that and I am sure there are a lot of others that are also sensible. Once again, the majority will suffer because of the idiotic actions of the few.

 

[Hieme]

Committing suicide used to be illegal, but out of everyone who did it, no one was prosecuted. I don't know what the law is now, but if you stop someone from attempting suicide, you can be taken to court for taking away a person's rights or charged for satisfying the law for assault or kidnapping. We are slowly heading down the road to a controlled political dictatorship. Take away rights, choices and only be given what they want you to have. Just saying,,,,, In this Political Campaign environment.

 

[Joyce]

Once again sensible / responsible people will have to pay the price for the UN responsible few

 

[Kbh]

I remember overdosing on Panadol, two dollars a packet of 100…very unwell at the time tipped me over the line. What l didn’t know was it is a slow painful death. Everything shuts down very slowly, and thank goodness l stopped at 20 when l realised some poor person was going to find me , my children would never be the same again and the ripple affect would be huge….l spoke up admitted my mistake after not many but still spent a very sorry week in hospital. Whenever l see them now at front of store, large amounts for a few dollars l cringe, l remember how being so vulnerable l was, and how that made it so easy for me………now appreciate every breathe, work through my issues and speak out with a loud voice hoping to be heard by just one person. Education and action could save lives. Not proud of my story but mental illness in the community is very real. Thankyou for reading me.

 

[Ricci]

I remember overdosing on Panadol, two dollars a packet of 100…very unwell at the time tipped me over the line. What l didn’t know was it is a slow painful death. Everything shuts down very slowly, and thank goodness l stopped at 20 when l realised some poor person was going to find me , my children would never be the same again and the ripple affect would be huge….l spoke up admitted my mistake after not many but still spent a very sorry week in hospital. Whenever l see them now at front of store, large amounts for a few dollars l cringe, l remember how being so vulnerable l was, and how that made it so easy for me………now appreciate every breathe, work through my issues and speak out with a loud voice hoping to be heard by just one person. Education and action could save lives. Not proud of my story but mental illness in the community is very real. Thankyou for reading me.

Know that you are loved and cherished

 

[JayKay]

I remember overdosing on Panadol, two dollars a packet of 100…very unwell at the time tipped me over the line. What l didn’t know was it is a slow painful death. Everything shuts down very slowly, and thank goodness l stopped at 20 when l realised some poor person was going to find me , my children would never be the same again and the ripple affect would be huge….l spoke up admitted my mistake after not many but still spent a very sorry week in hospital. Whenever l see them now at front of store, large amounts for a few dollars l cringe, l remember how being so vulnerable l was, and how that made it so easy for me………now appreciate every breathe, work through my issues and speak out with a loud voice hoping to be heard by just one person. Education and action could save lives. Not proud of my story but mental illness in the community is very real. Thankyou for reading me.

Nice to meet you, Kbh.
You are an incredibly brave, strong person to write down your experience and share it with us.
You are very special. I hope those feeling desperate, as you did, can take note of your path since you hit rock bottom. Mental illness is the same as physical illness.....they both need the right treatment by the right people at the right time. May your every breath continue to shine the sunshine on your face, so you can smile with glee as your children love you.
Well done, you!