Paracetamol News and Research

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Paracetamol is a drug that reduces pain and fever (but not inflammation). It belongs to the family of drugs called analgesics.

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week: An Interview with the World Health Organization

For World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2021, we spoke to Dr. Liz Tayler from the World Health Organization about antimicrobial resistance.

18 Nov 2021

Could drugs derived from microalgae be effective against COVID-19?

Researchers discuss the ability of some microalgae metabolites to prevent cytokine storm syndrome during COVID-19.

15 Nov 2021

Drinking alcohol and not exercising are modifiable risk factors for SARS-CoV-2

New research from the United Kingdom suggests several factors that increased the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection involved higher alcohol use, Asian/Asian British ethnicity, and obesity. In addition, moderate but not vigorous exercise of more than 10 hours a week was associated with lower susceptibility to infection.

8 Nov 2021

Pfizer COVID-19 jab side effects likely to be mild to moderate in extremely vulnerable 12-15 year olds

The side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech jab against COVID-19 are likely to be mild to moderate and clear up quickly in 12-15 year olds at high risk of complications from the infection because of certain coexisting conditions, reveals a small study accepted for publication in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

28 Aug 2021

Blocking IL-11 signaling can promote liver regeneration after paracetamol-induced damage

Scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School and National Heart Centre Singapore, in collaboration with colleagues in Singapore and the UK, have shown that the human form of the signaling protein interleukin 11 (IL-11) has a damaging effect on human liver cells--overturning a prior hypothesis that it could help livers damaged by paracetamol poisoning.

18 Jun 2021

Over-the-counter fungicide holds potential to disrupt steroid hormone levels

The active ingredient in medicines commonly used to treat yeast infections has the potential to disrupt steroid hormone levels, according to a study from the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark.

16 Jun 2021

Can acetaminophen use during pregnancy increase the risk of ADHD and autism symptoms in children?

In a new study, researchers confirmed that the use of paracetamol during pregnancy led to an increased risk of children displaying symptoms of ADHD and autism.

28 May 2021

New peptides allow cannabis-derived drugs to fight pain in mice without side effects

An international team, led by researchers from Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Barcelona, Spain, David Andreu and Rafael Maldonado, has developed a peptides family that allows delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main component of Cannabis sativa, to fight pain in mice without side effects.

20 May 2021

Nearly a quarter of pediatric patients need stronger pain treatment after surgery

After an appendectomy, a quarter (24.8%) of all children wanted a stronger pain treatment in the first 24 hours after their operation.

8 Apr 2021

Antidepressants provide no important benefits for managing low back pain

A new systematic review led by UNSW Sydney has found that treating low back pain with antidepressant medicines provides no important benefits and has the potential to cause harm.

8 Mar 2021

Antidepressants are not effective for treating back pain, osteoarthritis, shows study

Antidepressants are commonly used worldwide to treat pain, however new research from the University of Sydney shows they offer little to no help for people suffering chronic back pain and osteoarthritis and may even cause harm.

20 Jan 2021

New and sudden headaches may be a symptom of COVID-19

Researchers report a case of a young male patient who came in with a headache to an emergency room. He had increased intracranial pressure and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, suggesting new headaches during the pandemic should not be ignored.

2 Dec 2020

Oral methotrexate can be an effective intervention for people with knee OA

A new study presented at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting, shows that after three months of treatment with oral methotrexate, adults with primary knee osteoarthritis (OA) with inflammation had significant improvements in physical function and inflammation, a sign that this inexpensive, generic pill may be an important intervention for knee OA.

6 Nov 2020

Poisoning exposures appear to be increasing in Australian schools

New research from the University of Sydney has found poisoning exposures in children and adolescents while at school are relatively common and appear to be increasing, highlighting the need for more robust prevention measures.

3 Nov 2020

Scientists uncover surprising players in acute liver failure

Acute liver failure is a devastating, rapidly progressing disease that results in death in 80% of cases, unless an emergency liver transplant is performed. In the developed world, its leading cause is a substantial overdose of acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol.

27 Oct 2020

Case report of arthritis in a COVID-19 patient

The current paper published in the The Lancet Rheumatology discusses arthritis in a 58-year-old white woman with COVID-19 of less than severe intensity.

7 Oct 2020

NICE guideline advises GPs to stop prescribing opioids for chronic pain

Published today, the first ever NICE guideline on the treatment of chronic pain has said that GPs should not prescribe opioids and other medicines like paracetamol to patients because they could be ‘harmful’ and cause addiction.

5 Aug 2020

Study shows link between selenium-deficient diet and paracetamol toxicity

A lack of the mineral selenium in the diet puts people at risk of paracetamol overdose, even when the painkiller is taken at levels claimed to be safe on the packaging, according to collaborative research emerging from the University of Bath and Southwest University in China.

5 Aug 2020

Oxford University and AstraZeneca vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 safe and induces immune response

Promising early stage results from a phase 1/2 clinical trial of the UK's vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) are published today in The Lancet.

20 Jul 2020

Most New Zealanders stockpile large quantities of paracetamol in their homes, study shows

While paracetamol was the most common substance of enquiry for calls to the National Poisons Centre in 2018, new research reveals most New Zealanders have large quantities of the painkiller stockpiled in their homes.

15 Jul 2020