Panadol Extra Advance 500 mg/65 mg Tablets – Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for healthcare professionals

1 NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Panadol Extra Advance 500 mg/65 mg Tablets

2 QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION

Each tablet contains Paracetamol 500 mg and Caffeine 65 mg.

For full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

3 PHARMACEUTICAL FORM

Tablet.

White to off-white, film coated, oval shaped tablets. “xPx” (with the P inside in a circle) debossed on one side, “- -“ on the other side.

4 CLINICAL PARTICULARS

4.1 Therapeutic indications

A mild analgesic and antipyretic formulated to give extra pain relief. The tablets are recommended for the treatment of most painful and febrile conditions, for example, headache, including migraine, backache, toothache, rheumatic pain and dysmenorrhoea, and the relief of the symptoms of colds, influenza and sore throat.

4.2. Posology and Method of Administration

Oral use.

Adults (including the elderly), and children aged 16 years and over:

Two tablets up to four times daily. The dose should not be repeated more frequently than every 4 hours. Do not exceed 8 tablets in 24 hours.

Children aged 12-15 years:

One tablet up to four times daily. The dose should not be repeated more frequently than every 4 hours. Do not exceed 4 tablets in 24 hours.

Not recommended for children under 12 years.

4.3 Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to paracetamol, caffeine or any of the other constituents.

4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use

Do not exceed stated dose.

Contains paracetamol. Do not use with any other paracetamol containing products. The concomitant use with other products containing paracetamol may lead to an overdose.

Paracetamol overdose may cause liver failure, which may require liver transplant or lead to death.

Care is advised in the administration of paracetamol to patients with renal or hepatic impairment. The hazard of overdose is greater in those with non-cirrhotic alcoholic liver disease.

Cases of high anion gap metabolic acidosis (HAGMA) due to pyroglutamic acidosis have been reported in patients with severe illness such as severe renal impairment and sepsis, or in patients with malnutrition or other sources of glutathione deficiency (e.g. chronic alcoholism) who were treated with paracetamol at therapeutic dose for a prolonged period or a combination of paracetamol and flucloxacillin. If HAGMA due to pyroglutamic acidosis is suspected, prompt discontinuation of paracetamol and close monitoring is recommended. The measurement of urinary 5-oxoproline may be useful to identify pyroglutamic acidosis as underlying cause of HAGMA in patients with multiple risk factors.

Excessive intake of caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea and some canned drinks) should be avoided while taking this product.

If symptoms persist, medical advice must be sought.

Keep out of the sight and reach of children.

Pack Label:

Talk to a doctor at once if you take too much of this medicine, even if you feel well. Do not take anything else containing paracetamol while taking this medicine.

Patient Information Leaflet:

Talk to a doctor at once if you take too much of this medicine even if you feel well. This is because too much paracetamol can cause delayed, serious liver damage.

4.5 Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction

The speed of absorption of paracetamol may be increased by metoclopramide or domperidone and absorption reduced by colestyramine. The anticoagulant effect of warfarin and other coumarins may be enhanced by prolonged regular daily use of paracetamol with increased risk of bleeding; occasional doses have no significant effect.

Caffeine may increase clearance of lithium. Concomitant use is therefore not recommended.

Caution should be taken when paracetamol is used concomitantly with flucloxacillin as concurrent intake has been associated with high anion gap metabolic acidosis due to pyroglutamic acidosis, especially in patients with risks factors (see section 4.4).

4.6 Pregnancy and lactation

Paracetamol-caffeine is not recommended for use during pregnancy due to the possible increased risk of lower birth weight and spontaneous abortion associated with caffeine consumption.

Caffeine in breast milk may potentially have a stimulating effect on breast fed infants.

Due to the caffeine content of this product it should not be used if you are pregnant or breast feeding.

4.7 Effects on ability to drive and use machines

None.

4.8 Undesirable effects

Adverse events from historical clinical trial data are both infrequent and from small patient exposure. Accordingly, events reported from extensive post-marketing experience at therapeutic/labelled dose and considered attributable are tabulated below by MedDRA System Organ Class. Adverse reactions identified during post-marketing use are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, the frequency of these reactions is unknown but likely to be very rare (<1/10,000).

Post marketing data

PARACETAMOL

CAFFEINE

When the recommended paracetamol-caffeine dosing regimen is combined with dietary caffeine intake, the resulting higher dose of caffeine may increase the potential for caffeine-related adverse effects.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions

Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App store.

4.9 Overdose

Liver damage is possible in adults who have taken 10g or more of paracetamol. Ingestion of 5g or more of paracetamol may lead to liver damage if the patient has risk factors (see below).

Risk factors

If the patient

1. a) Is on long term treatment with carbamazepine, phenobarbitone, phenytoin, primidone, rifampicin, St John’s Wort or other drugs that induce liver enzymes.

Or

1. b) Regularly consumes ethanol in excess of recommended amounts.

Or

1. c) Is likely to be glutathione deplete e.g. eating disorders, cystic fibrosis, HIV infection, starvation, cachexia.

Symptoms

Symptoms of paracetamol overdosage in the first 24 hours are pallor, nausea, vomiting, anorexia and abdominal pain. Liver damage may become apparent 12 to 48 hours after ingestion. Abnormalities of glucose metabolism and metabolic acidosis may occur. In severe poisoning, hepatic failure may progress to encephalopathy, haemorrhage, hypoglycaemia, cerebral oedema, and death. Acute renal failure with acute tubular necrosis, strongly suggested by loin pain, haematuria and proteinuria, may develop even in the absence of severe liver damage. Cardiac arrhythmias and pancreatitis have been reported.

Management

Immediate treatment is essential in the management of paracetamol overdose. Despite a lack of significant early symptoms, patients should be referred to hospital urgently for immediate medical attention. Symptoms may be limited to nausea or vomiting and may not reflect the severity of overdose or the risk of organ damage. Management should be in accordance with established treatment guidelines, see BNF overdose section.

Treatment with activated charcoal should be considered if the overdose has been taken within 1 hour. Plasma paracetamol concentration should be measured at 4 hours or later after ingestion (earlier concentrations are unreliable). Treatment with N-acetylcysteine may be used up to 24 hours after ingestion of paracetamol, however, the maximum protective effect is obtained up to 8 hours post-ingestion. The effectiveness of the antidote declines sharply after this time. If required the patient should be given intravenous N-acetylcysteine, in line with the established dosage schedule. If vomiting is not a problem, oral methionine may be a suitable alternative for remote areas, outside hospital. Management of patients who present with serious hepatic dysfunction beyond 24h from ingestion should be discussed with the NPIS or a liver unit.

Caffeine

Symptoms

Overdose of caffeine may result in epigastric pain, vomitting, diuresis, tachycardia or cardia arrhythmia, CNS stimulation (insomnia, restlessness, excitement, agitation, jitteriness, tremors and convulsions).

It must be noted that for clinically significant symptoms of caffeine overdose to occur with this product, the amount ingested would be associated with serious paracetamol-related toxicity.

Management

Patients should receive general supportive care (e.g. hydration and maintenance of vital signs). The administration of activated charcoal may be beneficial when performed within one hour of the overdose, but can be considered for up to four hours after the overdose. The CNS effects of overdose may be treated with intravenous sedatives.

Summary

Treatment of overdose requires assessment of plasma paracetamol levels for antidote treatment, with signs and symptoms of caffeine toxicity being managed symptomatically.

5 PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

5.1 Pharmacodynamic properties

ATC code: N02B E51

The combination of paracetamol and caffeine is a well established analgesic combination.

5.2 Pharmacokinetic properties

Paracetamol is rapidly and almost completely absorbed from the gastro-intestinal tract. It is relatively uniformly distributed throughout most body fluids and exhibits variable protein binding. Excretion is almost exclusively renal, in the form of conjugated metabolites. Caffeine is absorbed readily after oral administration. Maximal plasma concentrations are achieved within one hour and the plasma half-life is about 3.5 hours. 65 - 80% of administered caffeine is excreted in the urine as 1-methyluric acid and 1-methylxanthine.

Panadol Extra Advance 500 mg/65 mg Tablets contain a disintegrant system which accelerates tablet dissolution compared to standard parcetamol and caffeine tablets.

Human pharmacokinetic data demonstrate that the time taken to reach plasma paracetamol threshold (4-7 mcg/ml) is at least 44% faster with Panadol Extra Advance 500 mg/65 mg Tablets compared with standard paracetamol and caffeine tablets.

Total extent of absorption of paracetamol and caffeine from Panadol Extra Advance 500 mg/65 mg Tablets is equivalent to that from standard paracetamol and caffeine tablets.

5.3 Preclinical safety data

There are no pre-clinical data of relevance to the prescriber which are additional to that already included in other sections of the SPC.

6 PHARMACEUTICAL PARTICULARS

6.1 List of excipients

Tablet core:

Starch

pregelatinised,

Povidone k-25,

Calcium

carbonate,

Crospovidone,

Alginic acid,

Magnesium

stearate,

Microcrystalline cellulose.

Film coat and polish: Titanium dioxide (E171),

Hypromellose,

Macrogol,

Polysorbate

80,

Carnauba

wax

6.2 Incompatibilities

None.

6.3 Shelf-life

36 months.

6.4 Special precautions for storage

This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.

6.5 Nature and Contents of Container

Tablets are in:

• PVC 250 µm or 300 µm aluminium foil 30 µm blister packs in an outer cardboard carton.
• Child resistant PVC / aluminium foil / polyethylene terephthalate blister packs in an outer cardboard carton.

These are available in packs of 24, 30 or 32 tablets.

6.6 Special precautions for disposal

None.

7 MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

Haleon UK Trading Limited

The Heights

Weybridge

Surrey

KT13 0NY

United Kingdom

8 MARKETING AUTHORISATION NUMBER(S)

PL 44673/0079

9. DATE OF FIRST AUTHORISATION/RENEWAL OF THE

AUTHORISATION

First Authorisation: 26/02/2010

10 DATE OF REVISION OF THE TEXT

28/01/2026