Sales of kid’s cold remedies drop

Americans spent $ 21.1 million on the medications during the four weeks, the most recent period for which data are available, down from a little more than $ 25.3 million during the previous four weeks, the firm reported.

“This is good news,” said Baltimore Health Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein, who is leading the drive to get the Food and Drug Administration to restrict use of the products. “This is a plus for child health. Fewer parents are giving unproven and potentially unsafe drugs to their children.”

The pharmaceutical industry, however, maintains that the remedies are safe and effective. “It’s premature to make the connection that a drop in sales is directly the result,” said Elizabeth Funderburk of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

Several paediatricians disagreed, saying they had seen many parents in recent weeks, who said they had stopped giving the medications to their children since hearing about the warnings.

“It really frightened a lot of parents,” said Joanna Sexter of Spring Valley Pediatrics in the District of Columbia. “Sometimes these stories come out, and parents challenge it… This time, that didn’t happen.”

The controversy began when Sharfstein and others petitioned the FDA last spring to restrict use of the products, citing the lack of evidence that they work and reports of children suffering hallucinations, seizures and occasional deaths. The petition prompted the agency to convene a special panel of experts for a two-day hearing.