Panadol contains the active ingredient paracetamol.
Paracetamol works to stop the pain messages from getting through to the brain. It
also acts in the brain to reduce fever.
Paracetamol is used for the fast effective temporary relief of pain and discomfort
associated with various pain states including:
Headache
Muscular aches
Period pain
Arthritis/Osteoarthritis
Toothache
Migraine headache
Colds and flu symptoms
Tension headache
Sinus pain/headache
Backache
Paracetamol also reduces fever.
2. What should I know before I use Panadol?
Warnings
Always read and follow the label.
Do not take more than the recommended dose as it may cause serious harm to your liver.
Do not use Panadol if:
you are allergic to paracetamol, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this
leaflet.
Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine.
you are taking any other prescription or non-prescription medicines containing paracetamol
to treat pain, fever, symptoms of cold and flu, or to aid sleep.
the expiry date printed on the pack has passed or if the packaging is torn or shows
signs of tampering.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you:
have or have had any other medical conditions such as liver or kidney problems
are underweight or malnourished
regularly drink alcohol – you may need to avoid using this product altogether or limit
the amount of paracetamol that you take.
have a severe illness, severe infection including blood infection, are severely malnourished
or are a chronic heavy alcohol user as this may increase the risk of metabolic acidosis
(a blood and fluid abnormality). Signs of metabolic acidosis include:
deep, rapid, difficult breathing
feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting)
loss of appetite
drowsiness
Contact your doctor immediately if you think you may be affected.
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important
you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information
under Section
6. Are there any side effects?
If you are not sure whether you should start using this medicine, talk to your pharmacist
or doctor
Consider taking the lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed.
Whilst this product is suitable for use when breastfeeding, you should always consult
with your doctor or pharmacist first.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any
medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy,
supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and paracetamol may interfere with each other. These include:
Warfarin or similar medicines used to thin the blood
Metoclopramide, a medicine used to control nausea and vomiting
Medicines used to treat epilepsy or fits
Chloramphenicol, an antibiotic used to treat ear and eye infections
Alcohol
Probenecid, a medicine used to treat gout or sometimes given with an antibiotic
Cholestyramine, a medicine used to treat high cholesterol levels in the blood
Flucloxacillin (an antibiotic), due to a serious risk of blood and fluid abnormality
(metabolic acidosis)
Your pharmacist and doctor will have more information on these and other medicines
to be careful with or avoid while using this medicine.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins
or supplements you are taking and if these affect Panadol.
4. How do I use Panadol?
Follow all directions given to you by your pharmacist or doctor carefully. They may
differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the box, ask your pharmacist or doctor
for help.
Use the smallest dose that you need to treat your symptoms and use the medicine for
the shortest period of time necessary.
Do not exceed the stated/recommended dose.
How much to take
Swallow with water or other fluid
Do not take more frequently than every 4 hours.
PANADOL Tablets:
Adults and children aged 12 years and over: Take 1 to 2 tablets every four to six
hours as needed. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours.
Children 7 to 12 years: Take ½ to 1 tablet every four to six hours as needed. Do not
take more than 4 tablets in 24 hours.
Do not use in children under 7 years.
PANADOL Mini Caps:
Adults and children aged 12 years and over: Take 1 to 2 caplets every four to six
hours as needed. Do not take more than 8 caplets in 24 hours.
Children 7 to 12 years: Take 1 caplet every four to six hours as needed. Do not take
more than 4 caplets in 24 hours.
Do not use in children under 7 years
How long to use it
Adults: Only take paracetamol for a few days at a time unless your doctor tells you
to take it for longer.
Children 7 to 17 years: Only give paracetamol to children for up to 48 hours unless
a doctor has told you to give it for longer.
If you use too much Panadol
If you think that you have used too much Panadol, you may need urgent medical attention.
If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much PANADOL, you should immediately:
phone the Poisons Information Centre
(by calling
13 11 26 for Australia, 0800 764 766 for NZ), or
go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.
Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning because of the risk
of delayed, serious liver damage/failure if left untreated.
5. What should I know while using Panadol?
Things you should do
See your doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using Panadol.
Things you should not do
Do not use PANADOL to treat any other complaints unless your pharmacist or doctor
tells you to.
Adults: Do not use for more than a few days at a time unless your doctor tells you
to.
Children: Do not give Panadol for more than 48 hours unless a doctor has told you
to
Driving or using machines
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Panadol
affects you.
Drinking alcohol
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you drink alcohol.
Only drink small quantities of alcohol (beer, wine or spirits) while using paracetamol.
Drinking large quantities of alcohol while taking paracetamol may increase the risk
of liver side effects.
Looking after your medicine
Follow the instructions in the carton on how to take care of your medicine properly.
Store your medicine in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C for
PANADOL Tablets and below 25°C for PANADOL Mini Caps.
Keep away from moisture, heat or sunlight; for example, do not store it:
in the bathroom or near a sink, or
in the car or on window sills.
Keep your medicine in the original pack until it is time to take it.
Keep out of sight and reach of children.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place
to store medicines.
Getting rid of any unwanted medicine
If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy
for safe disposal.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date.
6. Are there any side effects?
Tell your pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you
are using PANADOL.
This medicine helps most people with various types of pain but it may have unwanted
side effects. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most
of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side
effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following list of side effects. You may not experience any
of them.
Ask you pharmacist or doctor to answer any questions you may have.
If any of the following happen, stop using the product and tell your pharmacist or
doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
Serious side effects
|
Serious side effects
|
What to do
|
|
Shortness of breath
Wheezing or difficulty breathing
Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
Allergic skin reactions such as rash, peeling, itching or hives
Mouth ulcers
Unexplained bruising or bleeding
Symptoms of metabolic acidosis which may include: serious breathing difficulties with
deep rapid breathing, drowsiness, feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and
loss of appetite.
|
Call your doctor straight away, or go straight to the Emergency Department at your
nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects.
|
The above list includes very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention
or hospitalisation.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you
feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.
Reporting side effects
After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can
report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at
www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems . By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of
this medicine.
7. Product details
This medicine is available over-the-counter without a doctor's prescription.
What Panadol Tablets contain
|
Active ingredient
(main ingredient)
|
Paracetamol 500 mg
|
|
Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
|
Starch-pregelatinised maize
Starch-maize
Talc-purified
Stearic acid
Hypromellose
Povidone
Glycerol triacetate
Potassium sorbate
Carnauba wax
|
|
Potential allergens
|
Contains potassium sorbate as a preservative
|
What Panadol Mini Caps contain
|
Active ingredient
(main ingredient)
|
Paracetamol 500 mg
|
|
Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
|
Gelatin capsules hard
Starch-pregelatinised maize
Croscarmellose sodium
Povidone
Stearic acid
Hypromellose
Titanium dioxide
Quinoline yellow
Brilliant blue FCF
Allura red AC
|
|
Potential allergens
|
N/A
|
Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.
What Panadol looks like
PANADOL Tablets are a white, film-coated round tablet. They are marked "PANADOL" on
one side and have a break bar on the other side.
AUST R 13591 (PANADOL Tablets)
PANADOL Mini Caps are a capsule-shaped tablet with a gelatin coating. One half is
green and the other half is white.
AUST R 81007 (PANADOL Mini Caps)
Who distributes Panadol
Haleon Australia
Level 48, 8 Parramatta Square,
10 Darcy Street, Parramatta NSW
2150 and Auckland, New Zealand
This leaflet was prepared in Sep 2025.