Health ministry advisory calls for ‘rational use’ of cough syrups for children

The Directorate General of Health Services on Friday issued an advisory to all states and Union Territories, reiterating the “judicious prescribing and dispensing” of cough syrups for children, ANI reported.

This came after deaths allegedly linked to the consumption of cough syrups in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The department, which reports to the Union health ministry, said that most “acute cough illnesses in children are self-limiting and resolve without pharmacological intervention”, adding that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed for children under two years.

“These are generally not recommended for ages below five years and above that, any use should follow careful, clinical evaluation with close supervision and strict adherence to appropriate dosing, the shortest effective duration and avoiding multiple drug combinations,” the health authority said.

The public should be sensitised about adhering only to prescription by doctors, the advisory said.

It added that non-pharmacological measures, including “adequate hydration and rest”, should be the first-line approach for children suffering from cough and cold.

Health facilities and clinics must ensure the procurement and dispensing of products manufactured under the Good Manufacturing Practices and formulated pharmaceutical-grade excipients, it added.

Eight children, aged between one and seven, died in the past month in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The authorities have suspected cough syrup poisoning as the common cause.

In both states,...

Read more