Half of the poisonings occurred in the last two years, with the number rising last year due to the easy access young people have to medication, often using what they have at home.
ULS Santa Maria reports increase in voluntary poisonings
Thursday, 19 February 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The 'Paracetamol Challenge' is a dangerous social‑media stunt that encourages people to take large or repeated doses of paracetamol (acetaminophen) to test tolerance or get attention. Overdoses can cause severe, sometimes fatal, liver failure and need urgent hospital treatment with antidotes like N‑acetylcysteine, so Portuguese medical groups have warned people not to try it.
The Portuguese Pharmaceutical Association (Ordem dos Farmacêuticos) is the professional regulator for pharmacists in Portugal, responsible for licensing, ethics and professional standards. It issues guidance to pharmacies, handles complaints and can discipline members, so patients and pharmacists look to it for safety advice and drug‑supply information.
AI Summary AvailableULS Santa Maria reports increase in voluntary medication overdoses among young peopleRead the synthesized summary with context and explainers
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Other news coverage of this topic
- ULS Santa Maria warns of increase in voluntary medication overdoses among young people5:06pm, 19 Feb 2026 • Expresso
- ULS Santa Maria reports increase in voluntary medication overdoses among young people4:57pm, 19 Feb 2026 • Diário de Notícias
- ULS Santa Maria reports increase in cases of voluntary medication overdoses among young people4:52pm, 19 Feb 2026 • CNN Portugal
- ULS Santa Maria reports increase in voluntary medication overdoses among young people4:25pm, 19 Feb 2026 • RTP Notícias
