Safety reviewers of the US Food and Drug Agency has urged a total ban of over the counter drugs (OTC) cough and cold preparations that has been found prone to misuse and could actually be dangerous to children under six years of age. Between 1969 and 2006, at least 45 children died after using decongestants, and 69 after antihistamines.

In just about two weeks after this US FDA pronouncements, The Consumers Health Care Products Association pulled out from the market the following cough and cold remedies and banned its use to children below 2 years old.

• Dimetapp® Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops
• Dimetapp® Decongestant Infant Drops
• Little Colds® Decongestant Plus Cough
• Little Colds® Multi-Symptom Cold Formula
• PEDIACARE® Infant Drops Decongestant (containing pseudoephedrine)
• PEDIACARE® Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (containing pseudoephedrine)
• PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Decongestant (containing phenylephrine)
• PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough
• PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (containing phenylephrine)
• Robitussin® Infant Cough DM Drops
• Triaminic® Infant & Toddler Thin Strips® Decongestant
• Triaminic® Infant & Toddler Thin Strips® Decongestant Plus Cough
• TYLENOL® Concentrated Infants’ Drops Plus Cold
• TYLENOL® Concentrated Infants’ Drops Plus Cold & Cough

The Philippine’s Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), usually taking cue on US FDA for drug information and regulation has yet to issue its own advisory on this matter.

Well, the rainy days are here in the Philippines. Cough and colds has been rampant and COC remedies are just about gaining patrons. Shouldn’t we ban this COC’s too?