5-Year-Old Boy Dies After Taking Expired Paracetamol in Cuba
Posted on09/09/25 at 14:32
- Boy Dies from Expired Paracetamol in Cuba
- Brother Hospitalized Under Observation
- Medical Crisis Deepens the Tragedy
According to Infobae, the tragedy occurred this week in southeastern Cuba and shocked the population.
A 5-year-old boy died after his parents gave him a 500 mg tablet of expired paracetamol.
The medication had expired in 2020 but was used due to the lack of access to safe drugs.
The child began to show severe symptoms almost immediately and could not survive despite receiving medical care.
Brother Hospitalized and Condition
A 5-year-old boy dies after taking paracetamol expired since 2020: his parents gave him the medication – Infobae https://t.co/oc5etXRev4
— FloridaCat (@ClimaFlorida) September 6, 2025
An 11-year-old boy, the victim’s brother, also consumed the same expired medication.
Shortly after, he presented a similar clinical condition that required emergency hospitalization.
Health authorities reported that his condition is stable, although he remains under constant observation.
The family faces the double anguish of having lost one child while seeing the other at risk.
Boy Dies from Expired Paracetamol and Crisis Context
The Ministry of Public Health opened an investigation to clarify what happened and assess responsibility.
Officials confirmed that the family is being questioned to determine how the expired medication ended up in the parents’ hands.
The shortage of medicines in Cuba is a recurring problem that forces many families to use expired drugs.
Pharmacies and hospitals report the lack of basic products, even for chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
Effects and Risks of Expired Medications
Experts remind that the expiration date of a medication indicates the limit of its effectiveness and safety.
After that date, drugs may lose potency or generate harmful compounds for health.
In the case of antibiotics, using them after expiration can worsen illnesses and foster bacterial resistance.
Furthermore, the decomposition of their components can produce toxins that cause severe adverse reactions.
Recommendations on Medicine Use
Although not all expired medications cause immediate effects, the risk is always present.
For this reason, specialists recommend properly disposing of expired drugs and not using them under any circumstances.
In several countries, there are programs such as Puntos SIGRE in pharmacies to collect and destroy expired medicines.
Prevention and the safe disposal of drugs help protect both health and the environment.