[Accidental ingestion of paracetamol in the for of the pediatric syrup EFFERALGAN: case studies during the six months following the institution of the child-proof top].

During the 6 months following the child-proof top commercialisation for the paediatric syrup EFFERALGAN in France, 51 cases of accidental ingestion were collected by the Marseilles Poison Centre. For 21 pour cent of them, the alleged dose taken was greater than the toxic dose. For 2 cases only, the responsible bottle had a child-proof top and was open on the table. For all other cases, it was simple-opening bottles (old bottles still present in houses, or bottles without a special top but sold in order to get rid of stocks). This study proves that such a preventive measure (modification of the top of the syrup bottles) is only fully effective if additional measures are undertaken such as return of unsold stocks or the provision of information to pharmacists and physicians.