LAUSR

Arbaeen and colleagues1 evaluated the impact of a mandatory change in the labelling of overthecounter cough and cold medicines, advising that these products should not be given to children under six years of age. Following the labelling change in 2012, which targeted both health professionals and parents, the annual number of calls to the NSW Poisons Information Centre (NSWPIC) about accidental overdoses with these products was about 50% lower than in 2010.1 Cairns and colleagues2 examined the effect of a regulatory change that indirectly targeted medication users, the rescheduling of modified release paracetamol from a pharmacy only (Schedule 2) to a pharmacist only medicine (Schedule 3), meaning that it must be stored behind the counter and a pharmacist must be involved in all sales. The authors found no significant change in the number of intentional overdoses with modified paracetamol after the scheduling change in June 2020. It is also concerning that more than onethird of calls regarding intentional overdoses with modified release paracetamol involved children and adolescents, for whom it is unlikely to be indicated.2