What a headache: Astronauts find paracetamol doesn't work in space - 18th Apr 2011

Astronauts on space missions may not be able to take paracetamol to treat a headache or antibiotic drugs to fight infection, a study has found.

Scientists have shown that medicines lose their potency more rapidly in outer space.

The peculiar conditions away from the earth - including weaker gravity and higher radiation - could be to blame, according to the research by NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

On earth, medication is typically designed to be stored for a couple years from the manufacture date.

But they always need to be kept in precise conditions to retain their effectiveness, such as away from direct sunlight or in a cool, dry space.

The authors of the study said longer space missions have increased the need for astronauts to take medicines.

So they investigated whether the unique environment of space - including radiation, vibrations, microgravity, a carbon dioxide rich environment and variations in humidity and temperature - affected drugs’ effectiveness. Read More