Do Fever-Reducing Drugs Prolong Illness?

We've all heard the old saw: "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning."

Primary-care doctors such as Israel Alvarez still dispense that advice when their patients fall victim to the flu. Aspirin is what pharmacists call an "antipyretic," a class of drugs including acetaminophen, ibuprofin and naproxen sodium, that have the ability to lower fever.