Cough remedies aimed at young children are to be removed from shelves amid fears of accidental overdose. The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has ordered six products to be permanently removed from sale for children aged under two.

 

These are Asda Children’s Chesty Cough Syrup, Calcough Chesty and Boots Chesty Cough Syrup - one year plus, also including Children’s Chesty Cough and Boots sore throat and cough linctus one year plus and Buttercup infant cough syrup. The medicines are to be removed from open shelves and be kept behind pharmacy counters and not be sold by pharmacists for children under two.

 

Instead, parents are being advised to use paracetamol and ibuprofen medicines, vapour rubs and simple cough syrup such as glycerol, honey (medicinally processed) or lemon. 12 ingredients found in the remedies causing concern.

 

Brompheniramine;

Chlorphenamine;

Diphenhydramine;

Dextromethorphan;

Pholcodine;

Guaifenesin;

Ipecacuanha;

Phenylephrine;

Pseudoephedrine;

Ephedrine;

Oxymetazoline and Xylometazoline.

 

According to the MHRA, there have been reports in the UK were there have been five deaths in children under two since 1981 where cold cough medicines may have been a factor. Also around a further 90 cough remedies, licensed for use for over-twos are to be removed from shelves which will be repackaged to include new advice on children under that age.