The Canadian scientist who first discovered that grapefruit can alter certain prescription drug levels in the body has released an updated list of 85 medications that may cause such reactions, 43 of which can cause fatal interactions, The New York Times reports. A clinical pharmacologist at the Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario, David Bailey, PhD, updated his list to reflect releases of new medications over the past four years. The list includes drugs to treat HIV, high cholesterol and cancer, as well as immunosuppressants, psychotropic medications, synthetic opioids, birth control and estrogen.
How often such reactions occur is up for debate, but Bailey stresses that however rare they may be, anyone taking prescription medication and consuming grapefruit juice or grapefruit, as well as pomelo, lime and marmalade, should consult the list of drugs and monitor for symptoms that may indicate a side effect of the combination. Timing of grapefruit consumption is not relevant; it must be avoided entirely to avoid the potential interaction.
To see the full list of medications, click here.
To read the New York Times report, click here.
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