The Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC) in Ahmedabad has alerted the Drug Control General of India against the excessive use of paracetamol. CERC says that the commonly use drug might cause potential liver damage and might lead on to liver failure.
CERC Secretary Ashwini Kumar warns that consumers must be aware of the potential hazards of paracetamol more so because it is being marketed in India without any hindrance. More over there are no label warnings about the side effects of the drug. He said the situation has reached alarming proportions with the advent of ‘Crocin 1000’ which is been promoted as a pain reliever for chronic conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatic arthritis.Recent studies by Dr Eliam Lee of the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Centre, has documented that 38% of acute live failure cases in 22 hospitals in the United States were associated with excessive paracetamol usage. Also 35% of the study group were found to be suffering from severe liver damage as a result of paracetamol use.
In children paracetamol can cause death due to poisoning and serious consequences ranging from hospitalization to permanent disability might occur.
However the benefits of paracetamol cannot be brushed aside. The idea is only to alert the consumers against the potential side effects.
