Survey Looks at Parents’ Views of OTC Cold and Cough Medications for Children Under Age Six After Recent Safety Concerns

A new survey from NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health examined parents' views in light of recent concerns about the safety and effectiveness of giving over-the-counter cold and cough medications to children, NPR's "Morning Edition" reports. An FDA advisory committee in October recommended that drug makers stop marketing OTC cold medications for use in children under age six. The recommendation came after six clinical trials by a group of pediatricians showed that OTC cold medications are no more effective than a placebo in relieving cold symptoms. About three children die each year after taking cold medications, and the deaths have been linked to potential overdoses, according to "Morning Edition."

Eighty-six percent of parents are aware of the safety concerns with the medications, the survey said. According to the survey, 58% of parents think OTC cold and cough medications are "somewhat safe" for children between ages two and six, while 23% of parents believe the medications are "very safe" (Aubrey, "Morning Edition," NPR, 12/13).

The survey indicates that many parents are not sure whether they should continue to use cold and cough medications for their children under age six. According to the survey:

• 34% of parents with children under age six said they have at least temporarily stopped using OTC cold and cough medications since concerns about the treatments arose;
  
  
• 15% of parents with children ages two to six say they plan to stop using such medications;
  
  
• 30% of such parents said they plan to continue to use the treatments; and
  
  
• 28% of parents with pre-elementary school children said they have not decided what to do, and other parents responded that they were not aware of the recent safety concerns or had never given their children OTC cold and cough medications.