Manufacturers voluntarily agree to change pediatric over the counter medication labeling
MONDAY, Nov. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The Consumer Healthcare Products Association reports that manufacturers of pediatric over-the-counter cough and cold medicines will voluntarily alter labels to indicate cough and cold products should not be used in children under 4 years of age, according to a report published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Oct. 31 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Prior labeling indicated these cough and cold medications should not be used in children younger than 2 years of age. Products with the old labeling are not being taken off shelves, but will eventually be replaced with the newly labeled products, the report notes. Health care providers are encouraged to educate parents regarding the new labeling.
The report indicates that while serious injuries and deaths have been reported in infants and children receiving over-the-counter medications, most adverse events have been due to overdoses or unsupervised ingestions.
"To promote child safety, the Food and Drug Administration and CDC have developed materials to educate parents, health care providers and consumers about how and when these products can be used safely. Additional information is available at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2008/new01899.html."