Study finds paracetamol ineffective for most pain conditions Photo / Getty Images Tue, 6 Apr 2021, 11:15AM Paracetamol medications are no more effective than a placebo for the most common illnesses or injuries, a medical review of the drug has revealed. The most ineffective use of paracetamol is when it is taken for back pain, University of Sydney researchers have concluded in a review for the Medical Journal of Australia. Researchers conducted systematic reviews that compared evidence of the analgesic effects of paracetamol with placebo (saline solution or sterile water) in treating almost 50 common pain conditions. It was discovered only knee and hip osteoarthritis, craniotomy, tension headache and perineal pain after childbirth were receptive to the drug.