There’s no scientific evidence that ibuprofen harms coronavirus patients, according to a report that debunks hotly debated claims about the drug.
Researchers at King’s College London reviewed 13 studies about anti-inflammatory medicine — and found nothing proving that the over-the-counter medicine weakens the immune systems of patients with the virus, according to a study published in the journal Ecancermedical Science.
Researchers said “contradictory” information had been spread about ibuprofen and results were ultimately “inconclusive,” according to the study.
Fears about ibuprofen began spreading last month after a 4-year-old British girl suffering from coronavirus-like symptoms grew worse after taking ibuprofen, her family said.
The UK’s health department removed its advice to self-medicate with ibuprofen until further evidence. And French Health Minister Olivier Véran said anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen may “aggravate the infection.”
The new study investigated how non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs affect the immune systems of people with the deadly bug.
“Our search did not identify any strong evidence for or against the use of ibuprofen for treatment of COVID-19 specifically,” the study notes. “The current literature does not give conclusive evidence for or against the use of NSAIDs in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.”