Although paracetamol is a safe medicine if you take it correctly, it can cause serious health problems if you take too much. It can damage your liver and can be fatal. It can be easy to take too much paracetamol because it’s in many different products – for example, cold and flu medicines.
If you think you or your child may have taken too much paracetamol, get medical help straight away. For more information, see our section on taking over-the-counter painkillers.