Patient died after 16 weeks on therapeutic paracetamol dose, coroner says
Pharmacists added paracetamol to the patient's Webster packs without consulting his GP, the coroner said.
A 47-year-old man died from acute liver failure after less than four months on the maximum recommended dose of paracetamol, a coroner says.
Paul McHugh, who had hepatitis C and chronic pain, died in 2022 after taking 4g paracetamol daily for around 16 weeks, Victorian coroner Ingrid Giles has found.
Ms Giles said Mr McHugh was initially prescribed paracetamol “as needed” for pain or fever while an involuntary psychiatric patient at Frankston Hospital in Melbourne.
On discharge, the dose was increased to 1g four times daily “for pain”.
