I got this in my email, and wanted to pass it along. I'll be posting this in a few places.
The appropriateness of cough and cold medicines for children is being discussed a great deal this cold and flu season. Wyeth Consumer Healthcare has important information to share with you on this topic since safety, especially for our young consumers, is most important to us.
Robitussin and Dimetapp cough and cold medicines are safe when used as directed. However, inaccurate or inappropriate use can lead to accidental overdosing. While this happens infrequently, children are the most vulnerable to overdosing. Therefore, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare has two very important messages for parents and caregivers:
For Children Under Age Two
We are no longer recommending the use of cough and cold medicines in infants and children under age two and are voluntarily taking the following infant products off the market:
For Children Age Two to Under Six
We are voluntarily recalling from the market the following products because the dosage cups enclosed do not have a half-teaspoon mark, which is the recommended dose for children age two to under six. Please be assured that this action is not related to the safety of the medication itself, but rather is due to the dosage cup markings only.
We recommend that parents and caregivers with children age two to under six do the following:
- Keep the product if it is intended for use in adults or children age six and over
- Do not use these medicines in children age two to under six because the dosage cups do not have a half-teaspoon mark, which is the dose on the label for this age group.
- Consult their healthcare professional concerning the most appropriate way to treat cough and cold symptoms for children age two to under six.
- Discard these Robitussin and Dimetapp medicines appropriately.
We are currently producing a new dosage cup with a half-teaspoon mark. These products are expected to be back on store shelves with the new dosage cups in November 2007.
This recall does not impact other Robitussin and Dimetapp cough and cold products. When used according to label directions, over the counter cough and cold products can be used safely in children age two and older, as well as in adults.
If you need more information about treating your child's coughs and colds, please contact your physician. If you have specific questions about our products, please contact us at 1-800-762-4675. And, as always, please read and follow all label directions carefully before using any medicines.
Dimetapp - Robitussin product recall
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