In search of the world’s most popular painkiller: An infodemiological analysis of Google Trend statistics from 2004 to 2023

Analgesics are among the most frequently used drugs, but the analysis of their popularity is a tremendous challenge for the methods of classical epidemiology, hence the development of complementary infodemiological tools. Google Trends data from the years 2004 to 2023 was obtained in order to explore global interest in painkillers. Special attention was paid to time trends and geographical patterns related to their popularity. Globally, Google users most frequently searched for information regarding “Acetaminophen” (2.00 [times more frequently than “Aspirin”]), followed by “Ibuprofen” (1.68), “Aspirin” (1.00), “Diclofenac” (0.86), and “Tramadol” (0.74). Interest in all analysed drugs fluctuated seasonally but overall increased over time, with the greatest rise for non-opioid analgesics. The popularity of painkillers was dependent on the geographical region: non-opioid drugs were most searched in Latin America, while opioid analgesics in Northern European and English-speaking countries.