From Fox News: A startling new study warns that two of America’s most common over-the-counter painkillers, ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol), may have an unexpected role in one of the world’s most urgent public health crises.
The everyday painkillers were found to fuel the superbugs that contribute to antibiotic resistance.
Researchers at the University of South Australia conducted lab tests with E. coli and ciprofloxacin, a common antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections.
They found that ibuprofen and paracetamol (the generic name for Tylenol in Australia) not only drive antibiotic resistance when used individually, but amplify it when used together.
The study was published by Science Daily, who wrote, “Painkillers we often trust — ibuprofen and acetaminophen — may be quietly accelerating one of the world’s greatest health crises: antibiotic resistance. Researchers discovered that these drugs not only fuel bacterial resistance on their own but make it far worse when combined with antibiotics. The findings are especially troubling for aged care settings, where residents commonly take multiple medications, creating perfect conditions for resistant bacteria to thrive.”
“It’s an important finding that has serious health implications, particularly for people in aged care homes, where multiple medications are regularly administered,” Science Daily warned.
READ MORE from Science Daily.
Common OTC painkillers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen “not only fuel bacterial resistance on their own but make it far worse when combined with antibiotics,” according to University of South Australia researchers #AMR https://t.co/04Guw0FF58
— AMR Action Fund (@AMRActionFund) August 28, 2025
Do you use #ibuprofen or #paracetamol when you’re sick? Well take care, as new @UniversitySA #research shows that these trusted staples are quietly fuelling one of the world’s biggest health threats: #antibiotic resistance. #superbugs https://t.co/UBgaT8mxnG pic.twitter.com/sxfHyLk3y7
— UniSA (@UniversitySA) August 26, 2025
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