Johnson & Johnson recalls infant cold medicines

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: Reuters

HICAGO (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson is recalling certain infants' nonprescription cough and cold products because of the danger of overdose, the company said on Thursday.

Data show that when misused, the medicines can lead to overdose, especially in infants under 2 years old, the company said.

It is recalling Concentrated Infants' TYLENOL Drops Plus Cold; Concentrated Infants' TYLENOL Drops Plus Cold & Cough; PEDIACARE Infant Drops Decongestant (PSE); PEDIACARE Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (PSE); PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Decongestant (PE); PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough; and PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (PE) products from the U.S. market.

The drugs are made by J&J's McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit, which also makes Tylenol, Benadryl, Rolaids antacid, St. Joseph aspirin, Sudafed nasal decongestants. and Motrin.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSWNAS604120071011?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews

[woodsprite]

1. I am so tired of this frickin' "Nanny state".

For years, the shelves have been filled with OTC meds that, if misused, would cause problems/death. But we were big enough girls/boys that we could make those decisions and follow the directions for ourselves.

I think they want us to get colds and die - or pay the docs and big pharma for each aspirin prescribed.

I don't know a parent that could have gotten thru the 0-2yo stages without an occasional Tylenol or Pediacare infant drops. Next they'll be taking the stuff for the older kids off the shelves because people will start paring down the lower dose on those meds to give their 0-2yos.

Running to the docs anytime there is a fever (especially in teething infants) is not a good option. They're in the waiting room with other really sick kids and pick up something else.

[napi21]

2. I wonder WHO pushed J&J to do this? I know when the pharma cos were pushed to reformulate

their adult cold meds to remove the ONE active ingredient that helped stop your nose from dripping, it was the war on drug crowd that was pushing that because some were buyng the OTC to use in their meth labs.

I can't believe J&J would just "recall" these infant meds unless SOMEBODY convinced them that there was radical abuse!

[AnneD]

15. There is radical abuse....

not intentionally of course. Many meds contain tylenol (or the generic equivalent acetaminophen). A parent may unknowing give a cold medicine and tylenol-not knowing that the cold medicine HAS tylenol (generic). Tylenol targets the liver and have too much can cause liver failure among other things.

http://www.medicinenet.com/acetaminophen/article.htm

Here is a small list of those meds that have tylenol in them

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a681004.html#combo-names

This is not nanny government but a case on misuse by the public to the point of endangerment. Folks think that OTC's aren't dangerous, but they are, esp when you don't read the labels!

Edited to add that you have to be even more careful with infant dosages and follow dosage orders to the letter!

[napi21]

17. I 'm sure there are MANY accidental OD's, but I don't think

a product recall is the correct answer! What's wrong with large RED warnings on the bottle label? The darn drug companies are constantly stating that their AD's are to educate the public. Well, USE some of that ad time to EDUCATE THE PUBLIC about drug interactions, and what the results are!

If the accidental abuse is THAT BAD, move the infant meds behind the pharmacy counter so the parent will have to ask for them. THEN the pharmacist will explain doseage and risks!

[AnneD]

18. I have worked with many patients......

the amount of mis administration is frightening. If I had a nickle for every time I caught a medication error on the part of parents and patients-I could retire from Nursing a wealthy woman. Unfortunately, infants do require such minuet doses. Why, when this med may not be that effective anyway, should we put infants at unnecessary risk. I'm telling you the truth....this really is a problem and professionally speaking-I am glad this is being done.

We have the same problems in hospitals-where staff are trained and we know the dangers. We work hard to design medication delivery systems to protect patients, but errors happen because we are human. I am sure they will rework this problem and come up with a better delivery system. But until then, it is better to error on the side of caution.

[Arkansas Granny]

3. Apparently this recall is only for combo cold medicines made

expressly for infants and toddlers under the age of two years. Other single ingredient medicines and those the specify they are for children over the age of two won't be recalled.
-------
Cough and cold products for children aged 2 and over, and single-ingredient pain reliever/fever reducers expressly labeled for infants, are not included in the recall.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSWNAS604120071011?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews
-------
I don't agree with the recall and feel that a lot of parents, if not most of them, will just use their own judgment and cut the dosage of the medicines that are formulated for older children or adults and administer them to infants anyway. IMO, this would have a much higher risk of overdose than the misuse of the ones made specifically for infants.

:shrug:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

4. Way back when my daughter was that young

My doctor said not to give her cold medicine because it didn't help the cold, and in children that young could actually make the symptoms worse. I don't know if that's true or not, but I never used the stuff.

His belief was baby Tylenol a vaporizer and lots of love was the best way to treat a baby with a common cold.

[Giant Robot]

14. Little robot is currently sick with a cough/cold type thing

And teething. And an ear infection. Mr and Mrs Giant Robot are not sleeping much. The point of this is that we have seen our pediatrician twice this week and were told explicitly to not give the little robot cough/cold formulas. Infant tylenol is fine, but nothing else. The response to why seemed pretty weak; that there was no research to say this was safe and effective. But what do I know. Anyway we were told tylenol, a vaporizer, keeping her elevated, and love and kindness. Seems reasonable, but its not the cure that you want when she has been up 8 times during the night. But overall I think thats for the best. I don't want her getting used to medications so that she cannot fight off, or tolerate, being sick.

[AnneD]

16. Poor little robot.....

Normal saline nose drops and suctioning nose helps too (takes the sinus pressure off the little Eustachian tubes. Wee ones are the victims of anatomy when it comes to ear problems.

Normal saline nose drops and blowing your nose works for adults too. A little eucalyptus in the humidifier is a comfort too. Clove oil is great to numb the gums. Rubbing a little wine on the gums and having the rest for yourself is what my Mom swears by. I tried both and they worked, I like the wine therapy better.;)

Edited to add that one of you be the designated medication person every other night:spray:

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Drugmakers Recall Infant Cough/Cold Medicine In U.S.

Source: NYT/Reuters

By REUTERS
Published: October 11, 2007

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson, Wyeth and other makers of infants' nonprescription cough and cold products are recalling certain medicines in the United States because of the danger of overdose, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association said on Thursday. Novartis and Prestige Brands Holdings are recalling their oral infant cough and cold medicines, as well, because data show that when the medicines are misused, it can lead to overdose, especially in children under 2 years old.

At least one U.S. pharmacy pulled the products from its shelves. CVS Pharmacy said it will immediately remove those recalled medicines and store-brand equivalents.

A spokeswoman for Consumer Healthcare, a trade association representing the makers of over-the-counter medicines, said overdoses have led to death and serious injury in rare instances, but stressed that the medications are safe when used as directed.

FDA reviewers have recommended that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines that contain decongestants and antihistamines should come with new instructions saying they are not recommended for very young children....

***

Medicines that are being recalled from the U.S. market include: Concentrated Infants' TYLENOL Drops Plus Cold; Concentrated Infants' TYLENOL Drops Plus Cold & Cough; PEDIACARE Infant Drops Decongestant (PSE); PEDIACARE Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (PSE); PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Decongestant (PE); PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough; PEDIACARE Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (PE) products; Dimetapp Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops; Demetapp Decongestant Infant Drops; Little Colds Decongestant Plus Cough; Little Colds Multi-Symptom Cold Formula; Robitussin Infant Cough DM Drops; Triaminic Infant & Toddler Thin Strips Decongestant and Triaminic Infant & Toddler Thin Strips Decongestant Plus Cough.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-usa-recall-coldmedicine.html

[Akoto]

6. This is a little confusing ...

Isn't it possible to overdose on any medication you don't use as directed? Or is it just that there's no safe dose for people below a certain age?

[TwilightGardener]

7. The infant drops have a different (higher) concentration of the active ingredients, because

it's hard to get a lot of medication liquid into a small infant. Thus, it's easy for parents to grab a teaspoon and give it to their toddlers, assuming it would be safe for them and not realizing the difference in concentration, without following the exact dosing directions. Worked at Poison Control for a while--this was a common dosing error.

[Ilsa]

11. There was an acetomenophen scare over this about ten

years ago, where parents were OD'ing their toddlers with infant-strength tylenol. There was alot of repackaging done, and doctors spent more time training new parents.

This appears to be infant meds, so I guess some of these are too sensitive in dosing for some kids.

[TwilightGardener]

12. Yep--there's acetaminophen in the products mentioned above too.

Acetaminophen overdose is extremely easy and common, because it's just in so many products and people aren't even aware of it. They'll pop two extra strength tylenol every four hours, and then take a cold med with acetaminophen, and before you know it, they've exceeded the max safe dosage. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) and related compounds is in a lot of products too-- another common overdosage problem.

[azurnoir]

8. Heard a lengthy report on this on NPR

last month it seems the problem is is mainly with the cough suppressant dextromathorphan(sp), which is commonly used in cold medicines because it acts on the reflex centers of the brain that may not be fully developed in very young children.

[acmavm]

9. I thought they were gonna go farther than this...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1939399

[SlingBlade]

10. Is there no end to this CRAP !

How many Americans have been injured and killed over the past six years of
this grand conservative experiment ?
And now infant children !!!!

Pathetic !


Thank You for the posting DeepModem Mom :yourock::bounce:

[TwilightGardener]

13. This is a manufacturer/dosage issue--this isn't a government-blame issue.

It's just too hard to educate everybody about common household medications, apparently--still too easy to ignore instructions or misunderstand them.