Drug Makers Withdraw Cough, Cold Meds for Infants

Move comes as U.S. regulators scrutinize safety of products linked to dozens of deaths

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

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THURSDAY, Oct. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Leading drug makers announced a voluntary withdrawal Thursday of oral cough and cold medicines marketed for use in infants.

The move affects only "infant" oral medicines, not those intended and labeled for use in children age 2 and older. And it comes as U.S. regulators review the products' safety, following reports of dozens of deaths since 1969.

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"The reason the makers of over-the-counter, oral cough and cold medicines for infants are voluntarily withdrawing these medicines is that there have been rare patterns of misuse leading to overdose recently identified, particularly in infants, and safety is our top priority," Linda A. Suydam, president of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), said in a prepared statement.

The move was applauded by health experts in the field.

"Recalling the products until the public and health care providers are fully educated about the safety and effectiveness of these products is the right thing to do right now," said Catherine Tom-Revzon, the clinical pharmacy manager at Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City.

She added, "Combination products are dangerous if parents do not know what ingredients are in them and extra doses of single ingredients are given. Children under two are at higher risk for side effects compared to older children. What's worse is that infants can't tell us if their hearts are racing or they are overly drowsy. "

According to the CHPA, the cough and cold medicines that are being withdrawn are:

• Dimetapp(R) Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops,
• Dimetapp(R) Decongestant Infant Drops,
• Little Colds(R) Decongestant Plus Cough,
• Little Colds(R) Multi-Symptom Cold Formula,
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Drops Decongestant (containing pseudoephedrine),
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (containing pseudoephedrine),
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Dropper Decongestant (containing phenylephrine),
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough,
• PEDIACARE(R) Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (containing phenylephrine),
• Robitussin(R) Infant Cough DM Drops,
• Triaminic(R) Infant & Toddler Thin Strips(R) Decongestant,
• Triaminic(R) Infant & Toddler Thin Strips(R) Decongestant Plus Cough,
• TYLENOL(R) Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold,
• TYLENOL(R) Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold & Cough.

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