TY - JOUR

T1 - Availability of Paracetamol Sold Over the Counter in Europe

T2 - A Descriptive Cross-Sectional International Survey of Pack Size Restriction

AU - Morthorst, Britt Reuter

AU - Erlangsen, Annette

AU - Nordentoft, Merete

AU - Hawton, Keith

AU - Hoegberg, Lotte Christine Groth

AU - Dalhoff, Kim Peder

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Due to the risk of hepatotoxicity when excessive amounts of paracetamol are consumed, Poisons Information Centers (PICs) frequently receive paracetamol-related enquiries. This study examined how widely pack size restrictions of paracetamol sold over the counter have been implemented in Europe and also availability of paracetamol through non-pharmacy outlets and their possible associations with frequency of poisoning enquiries. A cross-sectional European multi-centre questionnaire study was performed using a questionnaire to identify the extent and nature of paracetamol pack size restrictions, non-pharmacy outlet sales and the frequency of paracetamol-related enquiries to PICs. In total, 21 European countries participated. All PICs provided telephone hotline services. In 14 (67%) countries, pack size restrictions had been implemented in pharmacies (range: 8–30 g). No significant difference (median difference 0.7%, p-value = 0.36) was found when comparing median frequencies of paracetamol-related enquiries in countries with pack size restriction to countries without restrictions. A significantly lower median frequency of paracetamol-related enquiries was found in countries without non-pharmacy outlet sales compared to those with such sales (median difference 2.2%, p = 0.02). Pack size restrictions on pharmacy sales of paracetamol have been implemented in two-thirds of examined countries. There was no difference in the proportion of paracetamol-related enquiries to PICs among countries with and without pack size restrictions. However, a lower rate of paracetamol-related enquiries was noted in countries where paracetamol was not available in non-pharmacy outlets.

AB - Due to the risk of hepatotoxicity when excessive amounts of paracetamol are consumed, Poisons Information Centers (PICs) frequently receive paracetamol-related enquiries. This study examined how widely pack size restrictions of paracetamol sold over the counter have been implemented in Europe and also availability of paracetamol through non-pharmacy outlets and their possible associations with frequency of poisoning enquiries. A cross-sectional European multi-centre questionnaire study was performed using a questionnaire to identify the extent and nature of paracetamol pack size restrictions, non-pharmacy outlet sales and the frequency of paracetamol-related enquiries to PICs. In total, 21 European countries participated. All PICs provided telephone hotline services. In 14 (67%) countries, pack size restrictions had been implemented in pharmacies (range: 8–30 g). No significant difference (median difference 0.7%, p-value = 0.36) was found when comparing median frequencies of paracetamol-related enquiries in countries with pack size restriction to countries without restrictions. A significantly lower median frequency of paracetamol-related enquiries was found in countries without non-pharmacy outlet sales compared to those with such sales (median difference 2.2%, p = 0.02). Pack size restrictions on pharmacy sales of paracetamol have been implemented in two-thirds of examined countries. There was no difference in the proportion of paracetamol-related enquiries to PICs among countries with and without pack size restrictions. However, a lower rate of paracetamol-related enquiries was noted in countries where paracetamol was not available in non-pharmacy outlets.

U2 - 10.1111/bcpt.12959

DO - 10.1111/bcpt.12959

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 29319222

AN - SCOPUS:85041686715

VL - 122

SP - 643

EP - 649

JO - Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

JF - Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

SN - 1742-7835

IS - 6

ER -