§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will refer to the relevant safety committee the issue of the placing of a limit on the number of paracetamol which may be sold over the counter in one pack or in one purchase; and if she will make a statement.
§ Dr. MawhinneyOn the advice of the Medicines Commission, there are already limits on the size of the packs of paracetamol products which may be supplied from retail outlets. Packs containing more than 30 effervescent tablets, more than 25 tablets that are not522W effervescent and more than 10 sachets of powder and granules may be sold only from retail pharmacies. The Department's Medicines Control Agency will keep under review the need to seek further committee advice on controls on the sale of paracetamol, including pack size and numbers.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what figures she has for the number of people who have committed or attempted suicide by use of paracetamol.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe latest available figures for the number of people who have been recorded as having committed suicide and where paracetamol is mentioned in the records is shown in table 1. Table 2 combines the information provided in table 1 with information on the number of people where paracetamol is mentioned in the records and where it was undetermined whether death was accidentally or purposely inflicted. Both tables refer to England and Wales, and are for 1990; the latest year for which statistics are available.
Information pertaining to the number of people who have attempted suicide by use of paracetamol is not collected centrally.
Table 1. Numbers of recorded deaths from suicide where paracetamol is mentioned in the records. England and Wales, 1990 persons only. Total Paracetamol 101 (15) Paracetamol Prothiaden 1 Paracetamol Salicylate (NOS) 1 Paracetamol Temazepam Tricyclic Anti Depressant (NOS) 1 Paracetamol Triazolam 1 Paracetamol Warfarin 1
Table 2. Numbers of recorded deaths from suicide undertermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted where paracetamol is mentioned in the records. England and Wales, 1990, persons only. Total Paracetamol 185 (113) Paracetamol Propoxyphene 5 (11) Paracetamol Propranolol 1 Paracetamol Prothiaden 1 Paracetamol Salicylate (NOS) 5 (11) Paracetamol Temazepam Tricyclic Anti Depressant (NOS) 1 Paracetamol Triazolam 1 Paracetamol Warfarin 1 Paracetamol Verapamil 1 1 Number of deaths with mention of alcohol. NOS Not otherwise stated. The inclusion of a substance in this list does not imply that it is necessarily toxic. Where two or more substances are mentioned together the contribution, if any, of each to the death is unknown; even where one substance is listed alone there may well be other factors with an important bearing on the death.
§ Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what figures she has for the number of deaths from liver disease of which a part cause has been an earlier paracetamol overdose.
§ Mr. SackvilleIn 1991 in England and Wales there were 25 recorded accidental deaths from liver disease of which a part cause was an earlier paracetamol overdose.