27-year old Shirli Mardar is in serious to critical condition at Beilinson Hospital, suffering from serious liver poisoning after taking popular pain medication Nurofen. The drug in Nurofen, which does not need a prescription, is ibuprofen.
Mardar's family planned to fly her to France tonight, where there are greater chances of finding a liver for transplant. That comes after doctors at Beilinson said that her condition was too serious for a donation of a liver lobe from a live donor.
With Mardar already on the private plane, just before takeoff, the family received word that a liver was available for transplant in Israel, and she is headed back to Beilinson for the operation.
According to her family, Mardar took one Nurofen tablet every four hours following a tooth extraction, but after several days felt ill and turned to medical authorities.
Apparently many people came to Beilinson Hospital offering to check if they could donate a liver lobe, but it soon became clear that the situation would not allow that option.
Nurofen's manufacturer said today, "This is a very rare complication that could not be foreseen. The active ingredient, ibuprofen, was checked in countless clinical trials since it was developed in 1969, and found safe and effective."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 28, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011