Kids' cold medicines warning

Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

Cough and cold medicines intended for children under 12 years old are to be sold only in pharmacies.

The Ministry of Health said yesterday it had decided to restrict a range of medicines used by parents because of concerns over their safety and effectiveness.

They include products in ranges such as Vicks and Coldrex which contain dextromethorphan, phenylephrine and ipecacuanha.

The medicines will still be available in supermarkets but will carry warnings that they are for adult consumption only.

Medsafe said that although more than 100 cough and cold medicines would require new labelling, most were already pharmacy-only medicine.

The ministry said the decision was made after Medsafe warned there was no evidence that the ingredients worked on children.

But there was evidence of rare but severe reactions in children under 6.

Overseas, there had been reports of deaths and hospital admissions involving younger children.

The ministry said limiting the medicines to pharmacy-only sales would enable parents to obtain better advice about their use.

Medsafe group manager Stewart Jessamine said: "Reclassifying these products as pharmacy-only medicines means parents will be able to get professional advice on how to use them safely when they buy them for their children.

"It is not that people can no longer buy these products, but that they have to go to the pharmacy to get them."

Dr Jessamine said there would be no need for parents to see a doctor before they went to the pharmacy, as the medicines would still be available without prescription.

Parents will still be able to buy cough and cold remedies containing glycerol, guaiphenesin and ingredients such as honey, lemon and other natural substances from supermarkets.

"In the meantime, I would like to advise parents not to use over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children under 6 years of age," Dr Jessamine said.

The medicines affected are intended to decrease cough, loosen mucous and relieve runny or blocked noses, or reduce allergy symptoms.

Experts from Otago University's Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring told a ministry review group last year of seven cases of children being taken to hospital after using the medicines.

The review was started by the ministry after evidence emerged overseas of children overdosing.

Last year Britain banned giving cough and cold medicines to children under 6, and restricted their sales to pharmacies. Canada has introduced similar measures.

NOW ADULTS-ONLY PRODUCTS

Cough and cold medicines to be relabelled adults only include:

* Coldrex Cough & Cold.
* Lemsip Max Cold & Flu Day & Night.
* Vicks Formula 44 Expectorant & Cough Suppressant Syrup.
* Vicks Cough Syrup Honey Flavour for Dry Cough.