The Bulgarian Ministry of Health, along with the Drug Executive Agency, is urging the public to use medicinal products only for specific purposes and when symptoms are present. They emphasize that all medications, including those sold over-the-counter, can lead to harmful side effects, which are clearly outlined in the product leaflets.

Excessive consumption of medicinal products, irrespective of the active ingredient, can result in serious health risks. The Ministry and the Agency stress the importance of a responsible approach when using medications.

Furthermore, they have raised awareness about a new dangerous trend circulating on the social media platform TikTok, particularly among young people in Western countries. The Ministry calls on parents to be vigilant and ensure that their children are not participating in this harmful challenge.

The "Paracetamol challenge" is a new, dangerous trend spreading on TikTok, with reports of young people in Switzerland taking dangerously high doses of the painkiller, sometimes with fatal outcomes. Health authorities in the cantons of Fribourg, Jura, and Vaud have issued warnings about the serious risks involved in this practice. Pharmacies have been urged to exercise caution when selling the drug to young individuals.

Paracetamol is one of the most widely used painkillers globally and is found in many over-the-counter medications such as Paracetamol-Mefa, Dafalgan, Panadol, Neocitran, and Algifor. However, when misused, the active ingredient can cause severe liver damage, and an overdose can be deadly. Symptoms of poisoning may not appear until 24 to 48 hours after ingestion, and they include abdominal pain, nausea, coordination issues, and jaundice.

The trend of consuming excessive amounts of painkillers has become a recurring theme on social media, with several European countries already issuing similar alerts in the summer of 2023.

Sources:

• Ministry of Health
• BNT
• Dnes.bg