Oral cough and cold medicines sold over the counter should not be used in children younger than 4 years old because of the risk of rare complications linked to inappropriate use, a U.S. industry group said on Tuesday.
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association, which represents Procter & Gamble Co, Novartis AG and other companies, said most of the problems occurred in children who were given the wrong dose or who took the medicine accidentally.
"We're doing this out of an abundance of caution," the group's president, Linda Suydam, said. ~ Reuters, 7 Oct 2008
This is good news. The initiative came from the makers themselves.
The term - "complications linked to inappropriate use" can mean seizures and stroke on children taking these OTC medicines.
What are some of these OTC medications?
Products available without a prescription include Wyeth's Dimetapp, and Procter & Gamble's NyQuil, Novartis AG's Triaminic, and Johnson & Johnson's Tylenol and PediaCare, among others.
The industry's move only applies to syrups, pills and tablets and does not include nasal sprays, inhaled medicines, lotions or rubs.
