Comment on asthma and paracetamol
13 August 2010

Asthma UK believe that research published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine suggesting that paracetamol use is linked to a risk of asthma in adolescents should not cause concern.

Leanne Metcalf, Director of Research at Asthma UK says: ‘This large observational study demonstrates an association between the use of paracetamol and the risk of asthma in adolescents. However, there is still a long way to go before we can determine whether paracetamol actually causes asthma. The results could be merely coincidental and it is just as likely that these teenagers are taking paracetamol because their immune system is weaker, making them more susceptible to infections that trigger asthma. At this stage, taking paracetamol should not be a concern for parents or carers who are worried about the development of asthma in their children.’