The common painkiller paracetamol, used in millions of households across Australia every day, is now being sold in smaller amounts ahead of wider changes around the drug coming into effect next year.
Packets of Panadol, sold in supermarkets and convenience stores across the country, have started shrinking from 20 tablets per pack to 16.
It comes as the Therapeutic Goods Administration makes legislative reforms minimising the amount of paracetamol available over the counter to prevent serious injury and accidental overdoses relating to the drug.
The changes will be rolled out to all paracetamol products from February.
Haleon ANZ, the pharmaceutical company that makes Panadol, said it is working to make sure there are no supply issues as the changes come into effect.
“People will start to notice changes to the pack sizes of paracetamol products across Australia,” Haleon ANZ’s Head of Pain Elena Pintado said.
“There is a big effort behind to scenes to make sure we have continued supply.”
Bulk packs of panadol sold in pharmacies will be 50 per cent smaller, going from 100 tablets to 50 in NSW, SA, TAS and the ACT.
Other paracetamol packs carrying up to 100 tablets or capsules will only be available to buy behind the counter, through a pharmacist.
In Queensland and Western Australia, a maximum of 16 tables will be available over the counter, with larger packs available behind the counter.
The TGA commissioned an independent report into paracetamol overdoses, which led to the changes being recommended.
Dr Rose Cairns, an author of the paracetamol overdose report, said an overdose of paracetamol can be very harmful to a person’s liver.
“These changes just bring us in line with many other countries which have these smaller pack sizes as the default that’s available,” Cairns said.
“This is not banning paracetamol, people will still be able to get the big packs if they need them.”
Panadol prices will go down as the pack size gets smaller, but the drug will remain just as efficient, Pintado said.
