No cough, cold medicine for kids - Medsafe

Children under the age of six should not be given cough and cold medicines, Medsafe says.

The advice follows a recommendation from a Cough and Cold Review Group, which found limited evidence the medicines worked for children and had reports of side effects.

Medsafe convened the review group this year after Canadian and British authorities advised against the use of the medicines for children under six.

It included pharmacists, doctors, paediatricians and representatives from the New Zealand Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring, the Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee (CARM) and Plunket.

"After full consideration of the data, the group has recommended that oral cough and cold medicines should not be used in children under six with the exception of those containing only bromhexine," group chair Andi Shirtcliffe said.

"Our review found that the balance of risks and benefits for the use of these medicines in children under six is unfavourable."

Mrs Shirtcliffe said consumers and healthcare professionals were encouraged to report all suspected adverse reactions to CARM.

A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said a full list of the affected medicines would be available on Medsafe's website in the coming days.

- NZPA