> Each year, about 4,500 hospitalizations in Canada occur due to acetaminophen overdose, and about 16 per cent of these are accidental, Health Canada says.
So this affects only a tiny minority. It’s absurd that the tens of millions of people who use acetaminophen without an issue need to have their access to the drug restricted because of these 700 people.
To be absolutely clear, the maximum recommended dose is 4000mg over 24 hours. That’s eight extra strength pills. According to your article, the people who still accidentally overdose apparently take two pills every 2-3 hours and then forget how many they took. No wonder the vast majority avoid this fate, we simply take one pill instead.
It annoys me to no end when some folks trying to win the Darwin Award make medical professionals change guidelines in a misguided attempt to “protect” us. No, we don’t need that protection. Just keep it available while educating people about concerns around pregnancy and lower doses for younger children.
Everyone involved with writing, editing or contributing to this nothing burger of an article should be ashamed of themselves.