Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct. 7: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory to all States and Union Territories regarding the rational use of cough syrups in the paediatric population, emphasizing patient safety and responsible prescribing practices. The Healthcare Professionals and the general public have been advised to avoid unnecessary use of cough and cold preparations in young children.
As per the advisory, cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children under 2 years. These are generally not recommended for ages below 5 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.
Most acute cough illnesses in children are self-limiting and often resolve without Pharmacological intervention. The public have been advised to adopt Non-pharmacological methods including adequate hydration, rest and other supportive measures as the first line of approach.
In addition, all healthcare facilities and clinical establishments have been instructed to ensure that only products manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and containing pharmaceutical-grade excipients are procured and dispensed.