Paracetamol 20 mg kg-1 dissolved in 200 ml of water was given by mouth to seven healthy volunteers, together with a single i.v. dose of diazepam 0.2 mg kg-1 or saline 0.04 ml kg-1. This study demonstrated that the rate of paracetamol absorption was not significantly changed by diazepam, indicating that there was no delay in gastric emptying attributable to diazepam per se.