Laws regarding sales of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen??

Streethawk_2

This post keeps getting bumped because it's an issue which consistently annoys people. I got annoyed AGAIN being told by Sainsburys I can only buy two packets of the pretty damned untoxic drug ibuprofen. So I came home and looked into it.

Yes, you could kill yourself with two packets of parcetemol.
No, you are pretty unlikely to kill yourself with multiple boxes of ibuprofen, unless you have a reaction to it anyway, or it reacts badly with other medicines. It may make you quite ill though.

So how about the law-change; what was the point and has it worked?
Oxford University reported in Feb 13 there is evidence to show a 43% fall of intentional suicide from paracetemol ingestion since the law was changed 11 years ago. This was widely reported in the popular press, but the small print is more interesting to me.

It has been said for years that bulk packaging paracetemol makes it difficult to follow how many tablets have been taken over a period of time, and that blister packs can really help reduce that. The Oxford report states: "The number of registrations at UK liver units for paracetamol-induced liver transplantation in England and Wales following the legislation was 482 fewer than expected: a 61% reduction".
At a conservative cost of £50,000 per transplant, thats a saving of £24.1m in total. Plus we have 482 loved ones who didn't confuse/depress themselves into needing a liver transplant and those livers were available for transplant to other needy donors. And we can assume this benefit will continue...

Whatever your personal opinon of people who find themselves so depressed they attempt suicide in this way, its hard to argue with benefit that this has brought to the other people and their families.

One day I may be less able to keep track of my medication, so I for one will stop moaning about this and be glad for limitations on blister packs, if maybe not the officious supermarket supervisors who gleefully make you squirm in public.

j.e.j.

There's nothing to stop people buying one or two packs from one place and another pack or two from a different shop, and then another couple from somewhere else, and so on. So in that regard the law is pretty silly if it thinks it's going to stop a determined person from taking an overdose.

Personally (thankfully) I've never needed to buy more than one pack at a time. If I wanted to have some in over the winter, say, (when we're more likely to get colds and neuralgia) and the shop got funny with me, I'd just buy from different sellers.

Steph312

Hi

The powers that be have been discussing this very issue, hoping that in the near future customers can browse medicines like any other general sale list product, i.e. not behind the counter, in a cabinet or out of reach somewhere where you have to ask staff. Walk in and take what you want, and probably even pay & scan at a self checkout, is mainly how it works nowadays.

So maybe your wish will come true but at such a risk to the general public safety. It has not been confirmed yet but is really being pushed and people like myself are petitioning against this whole horrible idea.
Here's a list from the MHRA of some P medicines http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Howweregulate/Medicines/Licensingofmedicines/Legalstatusandreclassification/Listsofsubstances/index.htm

I know this thread is about paracetamol and ibuprofen but there are so many other P medicines, some with the potential to be abused converted to high class drugs, or are addictive themselves or like voltarol i explained before plus many more etc.

I really don't understand what kind of logic would bring someone to the point of thinking that this could be a good idea at all. The only reason this is probably happening is to save money and especially for big supermarkets. P medicine stands for pharmacy medicine i.e. can only be sold from a registered pharmacy premises (costs) and with a pharmacist present (costs) to advise and intervene. They want to get rid of paying for this part at all, so to not be obligated for your safety and your safety being in your own hands (you the customer now are also your own pharmacist), its just purely about making money with no conscience of any risks to a potential customer or patient.

Maybe i'm being pessimistic again and it might only be a few P medicines that may become available on self selection and that the general public will be very clued up about medicines and everything will be fine. But really I think its quite sad, if it backfires they'll easily wash their hands and scrap the changes. Its unbelievable that they are willing to risk people getting hurt to try this out to see if there's a possibility of them getting away with this for profits profits profits.

j.e.j.

Steph312 wrote: »

I know this thread is about paracetamol and ibuprofen but there are so many other P medicines, some with the potential to be abused converted to high class drugs, or are addictive themselves or like voltarol i explained before plus many more etc.

I really don't understand what kind of logic would bring someone to the point of thinking that this could be a good idea at all. The only reason this is probably happening is to save money and especially for big supermarkets. P medicine stands for pharmacy medicine i.e. can only be sold from a registered pharmacy premises (costs) and with a pharmacist present (costs) to advise and intervene. They want to get rid of paying for this part at all, so to not be obligated for your safety and your safety being in your own hands (you the customer now are also your own pharmacist), its just purely about making money with no conscience of any risks to a potential customer or patient.

I do see where you are coming from, but in a lot of cases you go up to the counter in Boots or Lloyds or wherever and you don't ask the pharmacist for the product, it's just the person behind the counter, and tbh, they're usually about as clued up about medicines as I am! They are shop assistants, not pharmacists who serve you, unless you ask specifically to see the pharmacist (who is usually busy dispensing doctors prescriptions).

So unless I have misunderstood something here, I can't see a problem with buying, for example, travel sickness tablets or paracetamol using a self-serve checkout.

chuckley

this is why i just go chemist and get a box of 48 400mg ibuprofen for just £2.30.

~Chameleon~

Mark_Thompson wrote: »

I am a nurse and went with my wife into Tesco today and was refused to be able to buy two of each. I didn't want to make a song and dance with the checkout lady but it's so stupid. I think I may have bust my ribs, but definitely sprained them and want to self medicate without using heavy duty painkillers. To have to listen to such idiotic Bull is really irritating.I like many others appreciate the sentiment but when in pain I don't give a hoot about what people perceive to be the law. Imho they are wrong, end of! As above this only applies to paracetamol.

A pack of 32 paracetamol will provide 4 days treatment for an adult. After which time you should consult your GP if still in pain, as mentioned on the pack. Why on earth do you need to buy more than one packet at a time anyway?

Valli

j.e.j. wrote: »

There's nothing to stop people buying one or two packs from one place and another pack or two from a different shop, and then another couple from somewhere else, and so on. So in that regard the law is pretty silly if it thinks it's going to stop a determined person from taking an overdose.
.

This - and I have managed to persuade SAs to sell me 'more' than the limit when I've needed Ibuprofen and I have needed to buy paracetamol for the kids.

(Kids are both over 16 BTW)

ThemeOne

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

A pack of 32 paracetamol will provide 4 days treatment for an adult. After which time you should consult your GP if still in pain, as mentioned on the pack. Why on earth do you need to buy more than one packet at a time anyway?

The thing is paracetamol is also a treatment for things like occasional headaches etc, so you're not taking it continuously for 4 days. A lot of people, myself included, like to keep a stock of it just in case, and somehow one packet of 16 tablets doesn't seem like much of a stock.

Having said that, I've never been really inconvenienced by the restriction of only being allowed to buy two 16 tab packs at a time. Though I did prefer the old days when they were sold in packs of 24.

~Chameleon~

ThemeOne wrote: »

The thing is paracetamol is also a treatment for things like occasional headaches etc, so you're not taking it continuously for 4 days. A lot of people, myself included, like to keep a stock of it just in case, and somehow one packet of 16 tablets doesn't seem like much of a stock.

Having said that, I've never been really inconvenienced by the restriction of only being allowed to buy two 16 tab packs at a time. Though I did prefer the old days when they were sold in packs of 24.

Even a pack of 16 would last two days at maximum daily dose, and how often would people need that quantity for a simple headache?

As I said, there's absolutely no need to have more than 4 days supply as that's the maximum recommended time to take them continually before seeking medical advice.

Toothsmith

Googling the subject would seem to suggest that the smaller pack sizes and restrictions has saved lives.