Member-only story
Unintended Consequences of Over-the-Counter Pain Meds
Recent research highlights the intersection of media and science
Millions of Americans take over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief medications every week. Because they are so readily available without a prescription, most Americans don’t think about them too much, or consider them as mildly helpful but not too powerful. But recently the media hyped two potential consequences of OTC pain medications.
One study reported a link between mothers taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy and the later development of ADHD in their children. The other found a connection between habitual use of OTC pain medications and lower rates of dementia.
Researchers have published multiple scientific articles on both of these topics. What should a well informed consumer know about these very popular remedies? An exploration of why these particular studies seemed newsworthy can inform us about how both scientific research, and news reporting currently work.
Stop the press!
We live in a complicated world, with lots of static and moving parts. The press’s job is to sell information, through subscribers or advertisers. In order to do so, they need to make information marketable, which is easiest when it is either…
