BRIEF: FDA Advisers: No Cold Medicines for Kids Under 6

Oct 19, 06:35 PM

Current Headlines: By Bruce Japsen, Chicago Tribune

Oct. 19--Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines should not be used for children under the age of 6, advisers to the Food and Drug Administration said today.

By a 13-9 vote, the panel of experts recommended children ages 2 to 6 should not use cough and cold medicines such as anti-tussives, decongestants and antihistamines. The vote comes after major over-the-counter drug makers last week agreed to pull from pharmacy shelves cough and cold medicines for children under 6.

Recommendations from advisory panels are usually followed by the FDA but the agency does not have to do so. The panel is taking up a series of questions regarding cough and cold medicines in children in the wake of reports from doctor groups and various studies showing the risks of over-the counter could and cold medicines outweigh their benefits. In addition, some doctors say they do not work anyway.

The panel also said the FDA should do more clinical trials. For children over the age of 6, the panel said they could be used. That vote was 15-7 in favor of recommended use for children between the ages of 6 and 12.

bjapsen@tribune.com

-----

To see more of the Chicago Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.chicagotribune.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, Chicago Tribune

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.