OVER-the-counter cough and cold medicines sold in Singapore should carry warning labels, as is being done in the UK, doctors here said.
Two weeks ago, UK government safety regulators advised that the dangers posed by more than 60 popular medicines outweigh any benefits.
As a result, they will be marked with warnings that they must not be given to children under 6 years old and are not recommended for those under 12.
Some of the medicines identified were even specifically sold for children.
The New Paper spoke to doctors in Singapore, who felt that the same should be done for cough and cold medicines here.
'I think it is an excellent idea. Sometimes parents don't know how to dispense and can't be bothered to wait for a doctor,' said Dr Theresa Yang, a family physician at Yang & Yap Clinic.
Overdose
There has been growing concern about cough and cold medicines for children and the possibility of parents miscalculating the dosage and giving too much or combining products containing similar ingredients.
'Parents can over-sedate a young child and this can cause respiratory depression, which can kill,' added Dr Yang.
In the UK, the deaths of at least five children under 2 have been linked to the remedies and five products, marked for children younger than 2, have been withdrawn.
More than 100 serious cases of suspected adverse reactions have also been reported in the UK.
These include hallucinations, allergic reactions and other side effects, with children requiring hospital treatment.
The Health Sciences Authority of Singapore (HSA) said healthcare professionals were advised in 2007 that cough and cold preparations are not recommended for children under 2 unless they have assessed that the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks of adverse effects for the patient.
In addition, cough and cold products containing promethazine (a commonly used antihistamine) should not be given to infants under 6 months because of the potential risk of respiratory depression (slow and shallow breathing resulting in a higher level of carbon dioxide in the blood).
Dr Chen Ching Kit, a paediatrician at KK Women's and Children's Hospital, also feels that cold remedies for children here should be labelled.
Side effects
'It will definitely help parents as they may sometimes not be aware of the potential danger of giving the medicine to a child who's too young or giving more than indicated,' said Dr Chen.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK has issued a warning, following a review of 69 cough and cold remedies for children, that 'they can cause side effects, such as allergic reactions, effects on sleep or hallucinations.'
Some of the products reviewed in the UK are available in Singapore.
Familiar names that will be labelled not suitable for children under 6 and not recommended for those under 12 in the UK include Tixilix Cough and Cold, Vicks Cough Syrup for Chesty and Dry Coughs and Non-Drowsy Sudafed Childrens.
Dr Yang said: 'The labels will help to inform parents in the event that a good pharmacist is not around.'
She also said that doctors receive circulars from the Ministry of Health occasionally, reminding them to be careful when prescribing medication to children younger than six months.
The alert is centred around 15 ingredients found in most cough and cold medicines, many of which have been used by drug companies for years.
By March next year, all over-the-counter cough and cold medicines in the UK containing the 15 ingredients will have warning labels.
The HSA said it has taken action to minimise the potential risks associated with the use of cough and cold preparations in young children in Singapore.
'HSA advises parents and caregivers to consult their doctors or pharmacists on the use of cough and cold products in young children, especially in those younger than 2 years old,' said Ms Tan Chui Huang, HSA's corporate communications senior manager.
'As different cough and cold preparations may contain similar ingredients, parents and caregivers should avoid using more than one product at any one time, unless advised by a doctor or pharmacist.'
HSA said that it is reviewing the data on the 15 ingredients with a committee of experts and will take the appropriate regulatory action once this is done.
