Rx Project report shows industry spends $50M on marketing cold product for children

The Boston, USA-based Prescription Project has released a report showing that companies producing over-the-counter cough and cold medicines spent more than $50.0 million marketing these widely-used products for children under the age of six despite evidence of risks and lack of effectiveness in treating children (Marketletters passim). The report, titled Risk With No Benefit: The Marketing of Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Medications for Children, was released to coincide with the Food Drug Administration's Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee hearing on the potential dangers of these products for children aged less than six. The Prescription Project report, which analyzed FDA, industry and epidemiological documents on OTC remedies, shows a lack of efficacy data but a significant number of reported injuries and deaths associated with overdosing of these products. Manufacturers have heavily marketed this class of OTC preparations for many years based on their FDA classification as "safe and effective," yet the FDA has not conducted or brought forward a single study or review to prove the safety or effectiveness of these products for use in small children in the last three decades. The full report is available at www.prescriptionproject.org.

"Especially when it comes to over-the-counter drugs, physicians and patients rely on the FDA to 'calculate' the benefits versus risks and communicate this to the public," said John Santa, a consultant to the Prescription Project and former medical director of the Drug Effectiveness Review Project. "In this case, it appears the benefits are close to zero while the risks are significant," he added.

Last week, in response to growing questions and pressure from pediatricians and the FDA, major manufacturers of the popular cold remedies announced that they were voluntarily withdrawing from the shelves OTC infant cold and cough products marketed for children aged two and under. As of yet, there has been no action on drugs marketed for children two-six years old.