Calls for tighter controls on paracetamol

THE State’s regulator for pharmacists believes stricter controls on the sale and supply of paracetamol and ibuprofen are needed to prevent deaths and poisonings.

While there has been a fall in mortality rates since paracetamol pack-sizes were limited in shops and supermarkets in 2001, the drug still tops the list of agents responsible for poisonings.

And, despite ibuprofen being the fourth most common cause of poisoning, the Department of Health has decided to make it easily available in shops and supermarkets.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) is now writing to the Government’s Office for Suicide Prevention asking it to undertake a consultation process about the availability of both painkillers.

The society believes that stricter controls must be put in place on the sale and supply of both drugs, and has called for a debate on the matter involving all the relevant bodies.

President of the Irish Association of Suicidology and Fine Gael TD Dan Neville said the restriction on the sale of paracetamol had not worked.

“We are not happy with the situation,” he said.

“There is still a high level of paracetamol poisoning and suicide and attempted suicide by overdosing on the drug.”

He said paracetamol should only be dispensed by chemists with strong advice given on the use of the drug.

“The fact that paracetamol can only be purchased in a pharmacy also conveys the message that while the drug can be very beneficial, it can also be very dangerous,” he said.

PSI president Ronan Quirke said current controls on the sale and supply of the drugs were insufficient and consideration needed to be given to placing further restrictions on the way they are sold.

The PSI has already expressed its concern to the Department of Health about the removal of ibuprofen from list of poisons compiled by the National Poisons Information Centre.

“The society is concerned only to ensure that patients are properly protected with regard to a medicinal product which is available in Ireland in potentially unlimited quantities in general sale and which can be lethal in overdose,” he said.