Does taking ibuprofen make the new coronavirus infection worse? It's fake!

In the article, researchers claim that ibuprofen increase the amount in the body of the ACE2 enzyme that are receptors used by the new coronavirus to enter human cells. The more ACE2 in the body, the chances of getting the disease also increase. However, it should be noted that data are still subject to confirmation.

The Polygraph questioned Antonio Diniz, specialist in pulmonology and in the field of HIV infection. “The magazine is highly regarded, it is undeniable. But we're at a stage where there's probably no time to have the same review criteria of the articles that you usually have”, he began by emphasizing.

“From a theoretical point of view, things make some sense. However, in the dimension of clinical meaning, it doesn't seem to come along very well. reasoned“, he stressed. "Given that it was published in the magazine that it is, I would tend to say that whenever possible use an alternative, it's preferable. And we wait for additional information. The article doesn't seem robust enough to me, but even if it's reticent, I admit it can happen“, He concludes.

the pulmonologist Filipe Fros, member of the National Public Health Council, also reinforced the importance and prestige of the journal. However, he emphasizes that the study “is totally missing regarding essential aspects”. And highlights: "It is necessary justify if it has to do with sporadic or continued use and if we are talking about the whole class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or ibuprofen only".

Given the importance of the magazine for the medical profession, Froes admits: “This obliges me to to advise my patients using paracetamol or another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory as long as the health and medicine authorities do not clarify this problem.”

Filipe Froes later alerted us to the publication of a release of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS).

"AEMPS reports that currently there is no data that confirm a worsening of Covid-19 infection with ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, so there is no reason for patients who are on chronic treatment with these drugs to discontinue them,” the letter reads. It is further stated that the exposure of infections with ibuprofen or ketoprofen is being evaluated for the entire European Union in the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee.

In Portugal, the infarmed also issued yesterday a note informative:

"Infarmed, National Authority for Medicines and Health Products, IP (INFARMED) informs that there are currently no scientific data to confirm a possible worsening of the Covid-19 infection with the administration of ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In this sense, there is no reason for patients who are undergoing treatment with the aforementioned drugs to interrupt it”, he assures.