A group of scientists and medical professionals in London are looking into whether Ibuprofen could function as a treatment for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Meanwhile, military medics the world over are likely thrilled that academics and physicians are catching on to what they’ve known for years: Ibuprofen cures everything.
Pulled something during PT? Ibuprofen.
Hungover? Ibuprofen.
Gut-shot, unconscious, and awaiting a medevac? Ibuprofen.
Obviously that last one’s a joke, but “take some Ibuprofen” is itself, a long-running joke within the military because of the tendency for medics and corpsmen to treat the over-the-counter painkiller as a cure-all for just about every injury and ailment known to man.
The actual research into Ibuprofen as a COVID-19 treatment is being conducted by teams from London’s Guy’s and St. Thomas’ hospital and King’s College, according to the BBC. The aim is to determine whether the drug, which is also an anti-inflammatory, could help with breathing difficulties brought on by COVID-19, which attacks the lungs.
On top of being a potentially life-saving treatment, should testing prove conclusive, the drug’s low cost and wide availability, compared to ventilators which are in short supply, is another benefit.
Who knows, if Ibuprofen fails to work, it might be worth testing whether changing your socks or drinking more water helps.