As reported on MedPage Today, a recent study has found that out of the 200 top-selling pediatric over-the-counter medications — including analgesic, cough/cold, allergy, and gastrointestinal liquid medications for children under 12 — more than twenty five percent (25%) didn't include a spoon or other dosing device. And among those that enclosed a dosing device, nearly all of them (98.6%) carried markings that were inconsistent with the product's dosing directions. Such issues have led to numerous overdose accidents, say researchers.
In November 2009, the FDA issued guidelines for pediatric OTC medications recommending the inclusion of a measuring device with the same abbreviations and units of measurement on the device as in the dosing directions, and without unnecessary markings or the device holding significantly more than the largest dose described.
The study suggests that regulatory action may be necessary to increase adoption of the FDA's recommendations.
Read the full story here.
