Paracetamol continues to have an important role, backed by the NHS and NICE.
NHS Choices says: “For pain associated with inflammation, such as back pain or headaches, paracetamol and anti-inflammatory painkillers work best.”²⁰ It also says: “Most people can take paracetamol safely, including pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children over two months of age,” although lower doses are recommended for young children.²¹

NICE clinical guidance on osteoarthritis – CG177 – says: “Healthcare professionals should consider offering paracetamol for pain relief in addition to core treatments; regular dosing may be required. Paracetamol and/or topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be considered ahead of oral NSAIDs, cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors, or opioids.”²²

Paracetamol also has a role in other NICE guidelines, such as for headaches in people aged over 12 (CG150),²³ and in initial pain management of bone fractures (NG38).²⁴

Views and guidance may change, but rather than removing paracetamol, informed opinion may move towards using it in combination with other compounds instead of as a sole agent.