Almost half of adults in a national survey said that they would give aspirin to a child under the age of 16 when in fact it is not recommended for this age group.
The results of the survey, conducted by Lansdowne Market Research among almost 1,000 people across the State last month, were published yesterday amid calls for the Health Service Executive (HSE) to conduct a public information campaign on the safe use of over-the-counter medicines.
Dr Martin Henman, of the school of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences at Trinity College Dublin, said that because of the suspected association between aspirin and a rare, potentially fatal disorder known as Reye's Syndrome, the product should never be given to anyone under 16.
Equally worrying, he said, was the survey finding that one in four Irish people would take aspirin for stomach pain, when in fact aspirin is potentially dangerous for people with such symptoms, as persistent stomach pain can frequently be related to ulcers and aspirin could result in ulcers becoming perforated.
The survey also found that only 34 per cent of women were correctly informed about the safe use of paracetamol during pregnancy - that it should be taken very sparingly.
The findings of the survey were published to coincide with the launching of a guide for householders on many common over- the-counter medicines and when these should and should not be used.
Dr Henman said it was important to remember that just because medicines were available without prescription did not mean that they carried no risk if used carelessly or inappropriately.
Meanwhile, John Corr, of the Irish Pharmaceutical Union, urged people to seek the advice of a pharmacist before taking non-prescription medicines.
"We have called on the HSE to initiate a public awareness campaign on the safe use of non-prescription medication and we renew that call again today," he said.