‘Benadryl Challenge’ blamed for death of 15-year-old girl

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A dangerous “challenge” that’s been making its way around the social media app TikTok is being blamed for the overdose death of a 15-year-old girl in Oklahoma.

It’s called the Benadryl Challenge, and as you might have concluded, participants are encouraged to consume large quantities of the allergy medication -- enough to hallucinate.

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The 15-year-old’s death was reported on Aug. 28 by KFOR in Oklahoma City. The news station also reported that the challenge was blamed for the hospitalization of at least three teenagers in Fort Worth, Texas, back in May.

Scott Schaeffer, director of the Oklahoma Center for Poison and Drug Information, told KFOR that large doses of the drug can cause seizures and heart issues. “The heart tends to go out of rhythm and not pump blood effectively,” he said.

Benadryl is the brand name of the generic drug known as diphenhydramine. Typically, it’s used to treat things like sneezing, a runny note, watery eyes and other allergy symptoms.

A spokesperson for Johnson and Johnson, the company that makes Benadryl, issued a statement to Fox News: