Close, NSAIDs cause stomach problems in humans by preventing the prostaglandin-mediated acid balance and decreasing mucosal secretion that normally protects the stomach from the acid it produces, but that’s not what’s killing the vultures.

The vultures generally die of kidney failure, which can be a problem in humans, but generally not at commonly used doses as long as no other interacting drugs are used or other kidney problems exist in the person. The exact mechanism for the kidney failure in vultures is not known, however, and thought to be different to how NSAIDs cause kidney problems in humans.