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FDA May Recall OTC Cold Meds for Kids Under 6

-October 2, 2008

 The FDA is evaluating whether or not to issue a recall of over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medications for children under 6 years old. While the FDA did warn consumers against giving such medications to infants and toddlers under 2 earlier this year, now this regulatory agency is interviewing doctors, industry experts and consumers alike to decide whether this warning should be expanded.

At the time of the earlier cold medicine warning, manufacturers voluntarily stopped producing and selling infant OTC cold medication. However, some criticized the FDA for not making the warning broad enough, as many critics had been pushing for such a warning for children 11 years old and younger.

Problems with Children's Cold Medications
The main concern surrounding the use of children's cold medications is that there is little evidence that such meds actually benefit children and reduce the symptoms and duration of a cold.

Those who support an extended cold medication recall contend that simply resting and staying hydrated is more effective and less risky than taking OTC cold medications.

Each year, approximately 7,000 children are taken to the hospital due to accidental overdoses of cold medications. Symptoms of such overdoses include drowsiness, hives, dizziness and blurry vision.

Facts about Childhood Cold Medications
According to the Nielsen research corporation, 10 percent of all children are given cold medications each year. Of these, most kids are between the ages of 2 and 5 years old. This means that consumers spend more than $285 million each year on such OTC cold medicines.

Given such massive sales, manufacturers of cold medicines are working hard to prove their effectiveness. Many are conducting their own research to sway the minds of FDA administrators and the public alike.

Similarly, others are making efforts to educate parents and children about proper use of cold medicines, as these companies believe that the preventable problem of overdosing (rather than some toxic ingredient in the medication) is the issue at hand.

The FDA is expected to announce its findings and an updated cold medication warning in the coming months.

(Source: CNN Health News)

Has your child been harmed by an OTC medication? If so, contact us today to speak with an experienced professional who will provide you with the legal support you need to pursue your legal claim.

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