Extracts from the Telegraph:
"Six cough syrups for toddlers are being removed from general sale after five children died from overdoses.
The medicines regulator warned that children under the age of two should not be given powerful cough medicines. It ordered that the products be placed behind the counter and sold only under the supervision of a pharmacist until labels can be changed.
Five British children have died since 1981 after parents mistakenly gave them too much syrup or used several products with the same active ingredient, it said.
In addition to the six medicines being removed from general sale immediately, a range of more than 100 other products, not directly aimed at children under two, will have their labels altered.
The new labels will include warnings not to use the medicines for young children and to exercise extreme care when giving them to any child between two and six.
The change, ordered by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, follows similar moves in America where children have died.
Cough Medicines to be taken off the shelves:
The following products are currently licensed for use by children under two. They are to be taken off shelves and sold to parents (with children aged two or over) with appropriate dosage instructions.
Paediatric Cough Relief
Boots Night Time Cough Syrup 1 year plus
Tixylix Catarrh Syrup
Tixycolds Syrup
Bronalin Junior Linctus
Junior Meltus Night Time
Histalix Syrup
Dozal Oral Solution
Fedril Paediatric Elixir
Medised for Children
Kafalin Syrup
Ransoms Paediatric Diphenhydramine Linctus
Line Range Cough Relief For Children Syrup
Calcold
Calpol Night
Benylin Childrens Night Cough
Tixylix Cough and Cold Linctus
Paediatric Nirolex
Childrens Chesty Cough Syrup
Tixylix Chesty Cough Linctus
Optrex Expectorant Liquid 50mg/5ml
Robitussin Chesty Cough Medicine 100mg
Jnr Meltus Chesty Cough With Catarrh
Altons Junior Cough Mixture
Galloway's Cough Expectorant
Liqufruta Garlic Cough Medicine
Cupal Expectorant
Benylin Childrens Chesty Cough
Benylin Childrens Coughs and Colds
Otrivine Child Nasal Drops
Nasal Drops For Children
Iliadin Mini Paediatric
Children's Dry Cough 1 Year Plus
Tixylix Night Cough
Tixylix Dry Cough
Galen Pholcodine Linctus 5mg
Galen Paed Linctus 5mg
Rusco Pholcodine Linctus
Cough Relief For Children
Benylin Childrens Dry Cough
Pinewood Pholcodine Linctus
Crescent Pholcodine Linctus
Pavacol-D
Boots Alternatives Children's Cough Relief
Glycerin Lemon and Honey With Glucose and Ipecacuanha
Glycerin, Lemon and Honey
Glycerin, Lemon and Honey and Ipecac Syrup
Lemeze Cough Syrup
Cherry Cough Mixture
Childrens Blackcurrents Cough Syrup
Buttercup Infant Cough Syrup
Buttercup Syrup Honey and Lemon
Bell's Chesty Cough Compound of Glycerin, Lemon and Ipecacuanha
Glycerin, Lemon and Honey with Glucose and Ipecacuanha
Beehive Balsam
Children's Cough Expectorant
Anglian Pharma Troublesome Coughs
Hill's Balsam Chesty Cough Liquid for Children
Glycerin, Lemon, Honey and Ipecacuanha Linctus
the Telegraph has been forced to retract this article as it is factually incorrect with regards the products that are affected. In addition, the PAGB and MHRA reissued statements and gave comment on the incorrect nature of the reporting that surrounding this reclassification. You may want to check that your list of products is correct, as it does not match the information that we have been given.
ReplyDeleteThe only correction I can find with regard to this on the Telegraph website is this:
ReplyDelete"Contrary to yesterday's report "Child cough cures pulled from stores" the MHRA's spokesman did not suggest aspirin be given to young children. She recommended paracetamol or ibuprofen. Aspirin is not recommended for young children."
I can find no retraction. Readers of this article may like to check the list of products for themselves.