Same Ingredient, Different Name
Paracetamol in the UK
Acetaminophen
While filming Cast Away, this Oscar-winning actor cut his leg, developed a staph infection, and was hospitalized for three days.
Tom Hanks
This medical drama features more love triangles than surgical consults.
Grey's Anatomy
This disease made people less excited about pigs, and more worried about the flu potentially having a farm-to-table experience.
Swine Flu
This basketball legend tore his Achilles in 2013, sank free throws anyway, and walked off the court.
Kobe Bryant
Salbutamol in Africa
Albuterol
This A-list actor had to go to the ER after choking on a vitamin D tablet and later joked it was “almost the end of Batman.”
Christian Bale
Who stars as Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch, the senior attending physician in The Pitt?
Noah Wyle
This mosquito-borne illness had the “honor” of rebranding the tropics as a “no-go” zone, all while giving birth defects as an unexpected souvenir.
Zika Virus
What condition caused NFL player Damar Hamlin to go into cardiac arrest on the field, shocking the nation and reviving interest in CPR?
Commotio Cordis
Sumox in the Middle East
Amoxicillin
This singer revealed she has Lupus, which required her to undergo a kidney transplant.
Selena Gomez
This show stars a brilliant young doctor with autism and savant syndrome navigating medicine and awkward small talk.
The Good Doctor
This virus made its debut in Africa and quickly became a blood-boiling situation.
Ebola
He played an entire NBA Finals game with the flu — or food poisoning, depending who you ask.
Michael Jordan
Reactine in Canada
Cetirizine
This British rock legend had a liver transplant after years of alcohol abuse but is now sober and still standing.
Elton John
Which real-life neurosurgeon hosted his own show about dramatic cases and later ran for political office?
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
This disease spread through the Americas with so many symptoms that people thought it was an overachiever, giving everyone fevers, chills, headaches, and occasionally brain swelling.
West Nile Virus
This cyclist won seven Tour de France titles after surviving metastatic testicular cancer, only to have his career crash harder than his hematocrit.
Lance Armstrong
Rivotril in Europe
Clonazepam
This actress, known for her action roles, underwent a preventative double mastectomy due to BRCA1.
Angelina Jolie
Meredith’s person. Always was, always will be.
Cristina Yang
This viral outbreak’s “patient zero” was actually a flight attendant… Talk about frequent flyer miles.
HIV/AIDS
After giving birth to her daughter, Serena Williams faced a life-threatening complication and underwent an emergency surgery to treat this condition
Pulmonary Embolism