Scientists Warn of a Nearly 400% Increase in Toxic Liver Injuries - One Common Drug Leads the List

Key Points:

• Reports of liver injuries linked to medications, supplements, alcohol, and other foreign substances to U.S. poison centers increased nearly 400% from 2000 to 2024, with over 80% requiring inpatient care, according to UVA Health research.
• Acetaminophen was the most common substance implicated in liver injuries, with exposures to combination acetaminophen products declining significantly after FDA regulation, while exposures to acetaminophen alone continued to rise.
• Women experienced higher rates of acetaminophen-related liver injury than men, and suspected suicide was the leading cause of exposure in both sexes.
• Alcohol was the second most common cause of reported liver injury, with cases rising during the COVID-19 pandemic for both men and women, alongside increases in liver injuries from stimulants, street drugs, herbal supplements, and environmental toxins.
• Researchers emphasize the importance of following medication guidelines and caution with unregulated substances, highlighting the critical role of poison centers in monitoring toxic exposures.