Paracetamol doesn't cure flu or symptoms
Paracetamol can't cure the flu, according to a new study.
The New Zealand study found the common non-prescription medication did nothing to relieve flu symptoms or reduce the amount of virus present in patients.
Medical Research Institute of New Zealand's Dr Irene Braithwaite was the lead researcher in the study of 80 people suffering from influenza.
In the study, which was published in the Respirology journal on Sunday, 40 infected people were treated with 1 gram of paracetamol four times a day for five days; the other 40 received a matching placebo.
Braithwaite said regular paracetamol had no effect on the amount of virus found in patients treated with the drug. Their temperature and clinical symptoms were also unaffected by paracetamol.
"There remains an insufficient evidence base for paracetamol use in influenza infection," the study concluded.
It is believed to be the first study of its kind in the world.
Braithwaite said the findings were important, with more than 200,000 New Zealanders contracting the sometimes deadly virus each year.
"Often the public is advised during the influenza season that those affected should stay at home, rest, keep up their fluid intake, and take paracetamol."
Initially, researchers predicted taking paracetamol could be harmful.
The virus could not replicate as well at higher temperatures and by reducing a person's temperature using paracetamol, the virus could have thrived, Braithwaite said.
"Fortunately this was not found to be the case.
"Paracetamol was neither harmful nor beneficial."
However, the findings were not sufficient to recommend for or against treating the flu with paracetamol.
The findings showed it was even more important that those at risk, particularly pregnant women, the very young, the very old and people with chronic medical conditions, be vaccinated against influenza, she said.
"This may not be fool proof but it confers the best protection available against the influenza virus."
The study was a collaboration between MRINZ, the University of Otago Wellington, Capital & Coast District Health Board and Canterbury Health Laboratories.
It was funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Written by Laura Walters. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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