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Six baby cough medicines pulled Six baby cough medicines pulled
(40 minutes later)
Cough remedies aimed at young children are to be removed from shelves amid fears of accidental overdose. Cough remedies aimed at very young children are to be removed from shelves amid fears of accidental overdose.
The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has ordered six products taken by children aged under two be permanently removed from sale. The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has ordered six products be permanently removed from sale for children aged under two.
They are Asda children's chesty cough syrup, Calcough chesty and Boots chesty cough syrup one year plus.They are Asda children's chesty cough syrup, Calcough chesty and Boots chesty cough syrup one year plus.
Also, Children's chesty cough and Boots sore throat and cough linctus one year plus and Buttercup infant cough syrup.Also, Children's chesty cough and Boots sore throat and cough linctus one year plus and Buttercup infant cough syrup.
Parents are being urged to stick to paracetamol and ibuprofen medicines, vapour rubs and simple cough syrup such as glycerol, honey or lemon.
There's nothing wrong with these medicines, it was the way that they had been given Sara Coakley MHRAThere's nothing wrong with these medicines, it was the way that they had been given Sara Coakley MHRA
The medicines are to be removed from open shelves, and will not be sold by pharmacists for children under two.
However, the medicines can still be given to older children.
Instead, parents are being urged to stick to paracetamol and ibuprofen medicines, vapour rubs and simple cough syrup such as glycerol, honey or lemon.
There are 12 ingredients found in the remedies causing concern.There are 12 ingredients found in the remedies causing concern.
They are brompheniramine; chlorphenamine; diphenhydramine; dextromethorphan; pholcodine; guaifenesin; ipecacuanha; phenylephrine; pseudoephedrine; ephedrine; oxymetazoline and xylometazoline.They are brompheniramine; chlorphenamine; diphenhydramine; dextromethorphan; pholcodine; guaifenesin; ipecacuanha; phenylephrine; pseudoephedrine; ephedrine; oxymetazoline and xylometazoline.
'Precautionary measure'
The medicines of concern all contain a combination of these ingredients.
The MHRA says there is no evidence that such multi-ingredient medicines are of any benefit to the under-twos.
There have been concerns in the US over such medicines after parents gave children the wrong dose, or more than one product containing the same ingredients.
There have also been some similar reports in the UK.
About 90 more cough remedies are to be removed from shelves until they can be repackaged to include advice that they should not be given to children under two.
And, until that time, they will be kept behind pharmacy counters.
A full list of the affected medicines will be published on the MHRA website.
MHRA spokeswoman Sara Coakley said: "It's a precautionary measure. They are not dangerous."MHRA spokeswoman Sara Coakley said: "It's a precautionary measure. They are not dangerous."
She went on: "If they had been dangerous, we'd have had them off the market in seconds. Nobody should panic.She went on: "If they had been dangerous, we'd have had them off the market in seconds. Nobody should panic.
"There's nothing wrong with these medicines, it was the way that they had been given.""There's nothing wrong with these medicines, it was the way that they had been given."
About 90 more cough remedies are to be removed from shelves until they can be repackaged to include advice that they should not be given to children under two.
And, until that time, they will be kept behind pharmacy counters.
Overdose riskOverdose risk
Anyone who asks to buy these products will be questioned about the age of the child who is unwell.Anyone who asks to buy these products will be questioned about the age of the child who is unwell.
The product can be sold if the child is older than two and an advice leaflet will be provided.The product can be sold if the child is older than two and an advice leaflet will be provided.
The spokeswoman said the medicines could be dangerous if people gave a child more than the recommended dose, or gave them more than one product at the same time.The spokeswoman said the medicines could be dangerous if people gave a child more than the recommended dose, or gave them more than one product at the same time.
She said the advice had been updated after they found many parents were unwittingly overdosing children.She said the advice had been updated after they found many parents were unwittingly overdosing children.
She said youngsters under two are "particularly susceptible because of their small size", creating a "risk of overdose".She said youngsters under two are "particularly susceptible because of their small size", creating a "risk of overdose".
And she admitted there had been an increase in "adverse reactions" to the products, although she said this had been more widely observed in the United States where improved packaging had since been introduced.And she admitted there had been an increase in "adverse reactions" to the products, although she said this had been more widely observed in the United States where improved packaging had since been introduced.