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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Child cold drugs under scrutiny | Child cold drugs under scrutiny |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The effectiveness of some over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children under 12 has been placed in doubt by a government agency. | The effectiveness of some over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children under 12 has been placed in doubt by a government agency. |
| A review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) found "no robust evidence" that many popular remedies work in children. | A review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) found "no robust evidence" that many popular remedies work in children. |
| Possible side effects could include disturbed sleep, allergic reactions and hallucinations, the MHRA added. | Possible side effects could include disturbed sleep, allergic reactions and hallucinations, the MHRA added. |
| It has listed eight cough mixtures that can be used for children under six. | |
| It stressed there were no specific safety concerns with the other medicines it examined. | |
| Due to a lack of evidence that many of the medicines do any good, the MHRA has decided they may no longer be sold for use on children under six. RECOMMENDED FOR UNDER 6s Baby Meltus Cough Linctus Beechams Veno's Honey and Lemon (not to be given under one year)Benylin Children's Tickly Coughs (not to be given under three months)Benylin Tickly Coughs (non-drowsy) (not to be given under one year)CalCough TicklyCare Glycerin Lemon & Honey with Glucose (not to be given under one year)Lemsip Cough DryTixylix Baby Syrup (not to be given under three months) | |
| New, clearer dosage advice for children between six and 12 will also be published on packets. | New, clearer dosage advice for children between six and 12 will also be published on packets. |
| Pharmacists will be issued with new advice to give to parents about which medicines to use. | Pharmacists will be issued with new advice to give to parents about which medicines to use. |
| But the MHRA said parents should not worry if they had used the medicines in the past, and shop shelves will not be cleared of current stocks. | But the MHRA said parents should not worry if they had used the medicines in the past, and shop shelves will not be cleared of current stocks. |
| Remedies used for pain relief and to lower a child's temperature, such as Calpol, are unaffected by the new rules. | |
| MHRA spokesman Jeremy Mean said remedies proven to work on an adults cannot be assumed to have the same effect on children. | |
| "Many years ago it was thought that we could use adult doses in a watered down way but we now know that children's bodies are different," he said. | |
| He added that all children's medicines were being reviewed owing to a "change in thinking". |