No Cold Meds for Kids Under 4: Drug Companies Step Up

by Terri Potratz | October 7, 2008 at 09:21 am | 40 views | add comment | 0 recommendations

Drug companies who produce over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines for children announced Tuesday that they would be supplying warning labels on all products advising against children under 4 from using the medicines. Pediatricians welcomed the news, as their pleas to the FDA recently failed to pass any legislation against the marketing of cough and cold medicines to young children. The FDA cited that more research was needed.

In announcing the new guidelines, Linda Suydam, president of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, said they "reflect industry's overall commitment to the continued safe and appropriate use of children's oral OTC cough and cold medicines," the Associated Press reported.

Companies were voluntarily making the change "out of an abundance of caution," she said. The association represents leading manufacturers and distributors of nonprescription, over-the-counter medicines and nutritional supplements.

The new instructions will appear on products distributed for the coming cold season, Suydam said. Companies will also add a warning to their product labels saying parents should not give young children allergy-relieving antihistamines to make them sleepy, the AP said.