A student who accidentally overdosed on paracetamol in March 2025, leading to organ failure, has made a recovery and relearned how to walk and talk. Riley Lubas, 20, was in his first year at university when he took two over-the-counter medicines for a cold, unaware that both contained paracetamol.
His condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to liver, kidney, and lung failure, and he was placed on life support and dialysis. Doctors initially feared irreversible damage, and his parents, Chris and Kate Lubas, were told Riley was heading towards liver failure.
Despite the initial concerns, Riley's health began to improve while he awaited a liver transplant. He spent six weeks at King's College Hospital in London and then an ICU in Newport, where he relearned to speak and walk.
The Royal College of General Practitioners Cymru Wales advises people to carefully read medication labels and seek advice from a GP before taking medicine. Dr Will Mackintosh, a GP and chairman of RCGP Cymru Wales, noted that accidental paracetamol overdose in young people is a rare occurrence, but there is a small risk if two products containing paracetamol are inadvertently taken simultaneously.
The Office for National Statistics figures show 27 deaths registered in Wales in 2024 mentioned any paracetamol on the death certificate.