Cough and Cold Medicines Ineffective and Harm Children's Health, State Paediatric Doctors

By Ina Woolcott

The Commissioner of Health for Baltimore, MD and 15 leading paediatric experts have made an appeal to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop drug producers from marketing their products to young children.

According to this prestigious group, over the counter cough and cold remedies are ineffective in young children and could potentially cause more harm than good. "Over-the-counter cough and cold preparations are neither safe nor effective for use in young children," they state, "the FDA has never conducted an appropriate analysis to support their widespread use, and expert organizations agree that they are ineffective and pose a risk to health."

However, the FDA has not limited marketing to young children on the grounds that the drugs are "generally recognized as safe and effective."

"As long as the child is generally healthy, the best thing to do is let the virus run its course, and generally they'll get better as quick or quicker than when they take these medicines," says Dr. Steven J. Czinn, who is Chairman of Paediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

According to the Baltimore Sun, parents of young children are spending billions of dollars on over-the-counter cough and cold remedies each year. (a clear sign that drug companies are just after the money, once again). Also, repeated studies indicate that the preparations are no more effective in children than placebos.

2006 - the American College of Chest Physicians advised that cough suppressants and other over the counter medications for young children were ineffective and could pave the way for an "increased risk of complications and death."

Some children who have been given overdoses by accident, have experienced heart rhythm changes, cardiopulmonary arrest, psychoses, hypertension, hallucinations and seizures.

The marketing of cold and cough medicines to children is once again another example of the medical industry exploiting the bodies of young consumers with unproven, even harmful, chemicals that have never undergone sufficient safety testing. These medicines for are full of artificial, chemical sweeteners and other artificial ingredients that can actually harm a child's health. Over the counter cough and cold remedies do not help children and actually may be putting them at risk.