Aspirin
The Good:
After just three years of daily aspirin use, the risk of developing cancer was reduced by almost 25 percent when compared with a control group not taking aspirin.
The Bad:
Now some scientists think low doses may work if they’re taken every day; American clinical trials of every-other-day aspirin had no effect on cancer rates at all.
The Ugly:
Public health experts worry about widespread use of aspirin, because the drug increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcers and hemorrhagic strokes that can be fatal. An analysis in Archives of Internal Medicine in January found that for every 162 people who took aspirin, the drug prevented one nonfatal heart attack but caused about two serious bleeding episodes.
More from Roni Caryn Rabin in The New York Times.
Most people probably don’t realize what a Wonder Drug Aspirin really is. When a change in the law made the FDA responsible for regulating over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, Aspirin was grandfathered as an existing OTC drug. It is often said that if aspirin were being evaluated today as a new drug therapy, the FDA would never approve it because of its risk profile. Moreover, if Bayer (the drug maker who originally owned the rights to Aspirin) was evaluating Aspirin as a potential new drug therapy, it would probably reject it due liability concerns given Aspirin’s risk of bleeding. Estimates suggest that up to 16,500 deaths occur every year due to bleeding due by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Aspirin.
Taking a daily aspirin might be good for a lot of people.
Willow bark — Aspirin’s origin — has been around for eons. The benefits, for most, far outweigh the risks. If only I’d bought stock in Bayer….
I understand aspirin also alleviates headaches.