FDA Issues Warning For Cold Remedies

Scott Kappes

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Today the FDA issued a warning that parents should not give toddlers over the counter cold and cough medicines. The agency says that these drugs are too dangerous for children less than two years of age. The agency has yet to decide whether OTC cold medications are appropriate for older children, but a decision can be expected in this matter sometime this spring. The warning was prompted by the continued problems associated with giving young children these remedies despite widely publicized concerns last fall. The FDA says that they are worried that parents have not gotten the message from previous publications, but hope that this warning will hit home.

Some parents still might have infant-targeted drugs at home or buy drugs meant for older kids and give them to hacking tots instead, said Dr. Charles Ganley, FDA's non-prescription drugs chief.

Ganley also cited surveys suggesting that many parents don't believe the hype are likely to use non-prescription medications on younger children if they have seen positive results in older children.

Hopefully now that the FDA have issued a stern public health advisory parents will finally get the picture and protect their children against the dangers of these medications.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Drugs, Medical Devices and Implants.