While 1918 is far off, tucked away in our history books, a new study came out today that suggested that aspirin could have been a factor in the 1918 flu pandemic that killed 50 million Americans nationwide.

"Dr. Karen M. Starko, author of one of the earliest papers connecting aspirin use with Reye’s syndrome, has published an article suggesting that overdoses of the relatively new “wonder drug” could have been deadly.

What raised Dr. Starko’s suspicions is that high doses of aspirin, amounts considered unsafe today, were commonly used to treat the illness, and the symptoms of aspirin overdose may have been difficult to distinguish from those of the flu, especially among those who died soon after they became ill."

While we know better today about aspirin, the lesson is still important to take into consideration: We musn't rely on so-called wonder drugs for everything. While using what works is vital, we must always keep in mind that not everyone will react to certain treatment plans the same way and that our job as doctors is to cater to each patient.

To read the full article, please click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/health/13aspirin.html?scp=15&sq=October+13+2009&st=nyt