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Cough&Cold meds for under-12 Pharmacy Only from May 2011
22 July 2010
From May 2011, cough and cold medicines containing dextromethorphan and phenylephrine and meant for children under-12 years will only be sold in pharmacies.
Medsafe made the announcement today saying products containing these ingredients will only be available in supermarkets if they are re-labelled for use in adults and children over 12 years of age. All non-compliant products will be removed from supermarket shelves from 1 May 2011.
Products containing guaifenesin are unaffected by the above changes.
Medsafe group manager Stewart Jessamine says re-classifying products containing dextromethorphan and phenylephrine to pharmacy-only means parents will be able to get professional advice on how to use these medicines safely before buying them for their children.
“These changes are in line with the recommendations made to the health minister by the Medicines Classification Committee and Medsafe, following concerns about safety of these medicines in children and are similar to changes being made or considered in other countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom.”
“If a parent is unsure of the best way to treat their child, they should seek advice from their general practitioner or a healthcare professional,” Dr Jessamine said. "I would advise parents not to use over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children under six years of age," he said.
Meanwhile, Medsafe has received an appeal against the reclassification of products containing ipecacuana and has reserved announcement on these product until the appeal is considered.
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