Bhubaneswar: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory aimed at promoting the safe use of cough syrups in children. The guidelines, which are applicable to all healthcare facilities and clinical establishments, emphasize the importance of rational drug use and patient safety in pediatric care.
Union Health Ministry has advised that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children below two years.
In an advisory, the Ministry said, these are generally not recommended for children below five years, and above that, any use should follow careful clinical evaluation with close supervision.
The Ministry has written a letter to the Director of Health Services of all States and Union Territories in this regard.
In its communication, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) urged doctors and pharmacists to be ‘judicious’ in prescribing and dispensing cough syrups for children. It said most acute cough illnesses in children are self-limiting and get better on their own without medication. The advisory aims to prevent unnecessary and unsafe use of cough syrups in paediatric cases.
The DGHS also warned against mixing different medicines, as that can increase the chances of side effects. Instead, the advisory suggested that parents must follow simple home remedies like keeping the child hydrated, and must rest well.
The DGHS directed healthcare facilities to procure and dispense only products manufactured under good manufacturing practices (GMP) and using pharmaceutical-grade ingredients.
It is pertinent to mention that the advisory has been issued in view of child deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan that were linked to the consumption of cough syrups.
