After at least 141 children have died worldwide from cough syrup overuse, Indias drug authority has outlawed the use of anti-cold drug combinations in children under four and mandated that medications be labelled appropriately.According to the authority, discussions and a recommendation to avoid using the combination for that age group were sparked by concerns expressed regarding the promotion of an unapproved anti-cold medicine formulation in newborns.The move by the court has come after at least 121 deaths has been reported from Gambia, Uzbekistan and Cameroon since the middle of last year.According to Indian officials, using cough syrups made in the country in 2019 resulted in at least 12 child deaths and four severely disabled youngsters.The regulators ruling on fixed-drug combinations (FDCs), which was published on Wednesday, was issued on December 18 and mandates that manufacturers label their medicines with a warning that FDCs should not be used in children below 4 years of age.When it comes to treating coughs and cold symptoms in children under four years old, the World Health Organisation does not advise using over-the-counter cough syrups or medications.
