Pharmacy Times 2008 OTC Products - (Page 34) What’s New in Cough and Cold Medications for Kids? Yvette C. Terrie, BSPharm, RPh Ms. Terrie is a clinical pharmacy writer based in Haymarket, Virginia. Although many medical experts may agree that the risks from pediatric cough and cold medications may be low, some experts still feel the recommendations are needed.2 On January 17, 2008, the FDA issued a public health advisory recommending that OTC cough and cold products not be used in children under 2 years of age tatistics reveal that an estimated 95 million packages of cough and cold medications are purchased each year for use in children,1 and with the FDA advisory issued earlier this year on the use of these products in the pediatric population, many parents and caregivers will be seeking advice from their pharmacist. Last fall the FDA assembled a joint meeting of the Pediatric Committee and the Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee, and this advisory panel issued recommendations on the use of cough and cold preparations in children under 6 years of age. The panel’s recommendations were based on results from multiple studies that reported a lack of effectiveness regarding pediatric cold medications and risks of potential adverse effects, especially in children younger than 2 years of age.2,3 Serious adverse effects have been associated with accidental overdose, unintentional misuse, REC O and drug–drug interactions in children given IS T M M AC standard doses.1 The panel reviewed the following categories of drugs: SINCE • Antihistamines 1997 8 • Cough expectorants w Ac h ie vem e n t A • Cough suppressants • Decongestants N EN S FDA Advice on the Use of Cough and Cold Products (Aged 2 to 11 years) Pending completion of the FDA’s ongoing review, parents and caregivers who choose to administer OTC cough and cold medicines to children aged 2 to 11 years should: • Follow the dosing directions on the label of any OTC medication • Understand that these drugs will not cure or shorten the duration of the common cold • Check the Drug Facts label to learn what active ingredients are in the products because many OTC cough and cold products contain multiple active ingredients • Only use measuring spoons or cups that come with the medicine or those made specially for measuring drugs • The FDA recommends that anyone with questions contact a physician, pharmacist, or other health care professional to discuss how to treat a child with a cough or cold Adapted from reference 4. • PH AR M D ED • ar M M PH AR PH AR d 8 Ac w h ie vem e n t A 8 ar Ac w h ie vem e n t A Moisture Cremes M AC ar d Eucerin Lubriderm Cetaphil 8 w Ac h ie vem e n t A Aveeno Amlactin D ED M PH AR PH AR d ar Number of pharmacist recommendations per month: 645,120 ar d 20 d 0 continued on page 38 AC IS T REC O M M AC IS T REC O M OTCs Pharmacists Recommend EN M EN D ED D ED 20 20 20 0 0 IS T REC O M M Product 38.4 11.9 7.9 8 Ac 6.6 w h ie vem e n t A 6.0 % Pharm REC O IST Recs M M AC 0 Motion Sickness Remedies % Pharm Recs Product % of Pharmacist Recommendations Product D ED OTC Supplement 2008 EN Curel 6.0 Vaseline Intensive Care 5.3 Other 17.9 Dramamine Bonine Emetrol SeaBand Other 45.9 44.1 3.9 2.2 3.9 EN 20 0 Number of pharmacist recommendations per month: 560,700 34 Pharmacy Times
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