ETH Zurich — Science Daily — 28 October 2020
The availability of 1,000 milligram paracetamol tablets in Switzerland since 2003 correlates with a significant increase in paracetamol poisoning cases, a data analysis by ETH Zurich researchers found. After 2005, when the high-dose tablets outsold the 500mg version for the first time, there was a marked 40% increase in poisoning cases within three years, rising from 561 cases in 2005 to 786 in 2008, and continuing to 1,188 in 2018. Professor Andrea Burden noted that paracetamol is very safe for short-term pain relief but when overdosed can cause severe poisoning, even resulting in liver failure. She recommends physicians prescribe the lower 500mg dose that can be adjusted to 1,000mg by taking two tablets, minimising the risk of accidentally exceeding the daily limit.