Review urges cold medicine ban for kids

Benadryl Nightime syrup is one of over 100 cough and cold medicines that a Ministry of Health review group wants to ban for children under 6. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

A Health Ministry review group wants to ban giving cough and cold medicines to children under 6.

The proposal follows reports of deaths and hospital admissions overseas.

The medicines, some of which contain pseudoephedrine, have been required since May to carry a label saying they should not be used for children under 2.

The review group wants to extend that and remove the medicines from general sale for children aged 6 to 12.

This would mean they could be supplied for that age group only by a registered pharmacist or on a doctor's prescription.

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

One was a life-threatening case of fluid on the lungs in a 6-year-old boy who received an overdose of phenylephrine, a Nasal decongestant.

The new labelling would go on more than 100 cough and cold medicines, including Vicks Formula 44, Benadryl Nightime syrup and Lemsip Chesty Cough linctus.

The medicines are designed to loosen mucous, decrease the urge to cough, relieve a runny or blocked nose, or reduce allergy symptoms.

Some are intended to work on more than one symptom.

Most can be sold only in pharmacies, but some, such as a Coldrex product which contains phenylephrine, are also in supermarkets.

The ministry's Medsafe division began the review after evidence emerged overseas of children overdosing.

The review group concluded at its meeting on July 23 that there was inadequate data to show the medicines were beneficial in treating children under 12 for coughs or colds.

The group, which included representatives of the drugs industry and the public as well as doctors and pharmacists, met again on Tuesday to confirm its earlier views, which were not unanimous, and to make recommendations to Medsafe.

* Who's done what

Britain in February banned giving cough and cold medicines to children under 6. Sales of medicines for children aged 6-12 were restricted to pharmacies.

Canada last December banned use for under-6s.

Australia last year banned use for children under 2.

NZ banned use for under-2s from May and is considering controls for older children.