Ibuprofen, Other Nsaids, & COVID-19: A Narrative Review

Speaker(s)

Laughey W
Reckitt, Harrogate, UK

Presentation Documents

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to review the evidence addressing whether ibuprofen and other NSAIDs worsen clinical outcomes in COVID-19, and whether they impair COVID-19 vaccines when used for the side effects of these vaccines. This followed the scares around ibuprofen use which were reported early in the pandemic, having significant impact on how patients utilized self-care for viral symptoms. The secondary objective was to consider how responsible self-care messaging is best communicated during pandemics.

METHODS: This was a pragmatic, narrative literature review of pre-clinical and clinical evidence linking ibuprofen and other NSAIDs with COVID-19 and COVID vaccines. The principle search engines used were Embase and PubMed.

RESULTS: Researchers have accumulated an extensive body of evidence – including in vitro and in vivo studies, observational studies, RCTs and meta-analyses – that confirms ibuprofen and other NSAIDs are not associated with increased susceptibility to COVID-19, nor with worsening outcomes. Neither is there any evidence that they impair the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccinations when used for the symptomatic relief of vaccine side effects. This is important for counteracting vaccine hesitancy. The initial theory that NSAIDs upregulate ACE-2, the receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, has now been refuted in laboratory studies.

CONCLUSIONS: With the benefit of hindsight, the ibuprofen scare formed part of the infodemic of COVID-19. This had significant implications for the ability of patients to utilize self-care for viral symptoms, potentially transferring further strain on health systems at a time when they were struggling to cope. Pandemics are linked to a frenzy of anxiety-provoking communications, now amplified by social media. The self-care industry has build considerable experience in communicating health messages to the general public, and in future pandemics there is the potential for self-care companies to work with government and health agencies to amplify responsible health messaging.

Code

EPH179

Disease

Infectious Disease (non-vaccine), Vaccines