Children's Health: New Polio Worries in Africa | US Committee Urges Limits on Cough and Cold Drugs (2/2)

Now, an update to our story last month about popular medicines to treat coughs and colds in children. The United States Food and Drug Administration had told parents not to give them to children under age two unless a doctor says to use them.

The F.D.A. gave the advice as it announced a meeting of experts to discuss cold medicines for children. That advisory committee met last week -- and voted that these drugs should not be given to children under the age of six.Members said there is not enough evidence to show that these drugs work in children. They called for more research.

The committee also said that liquid medicines should all use the same measurement terms. This could reduce the risk of parents giving their children too much. In rare cases, deaths have been reported from overdoses.

The drug industry says its products are safe and effective for children. But it says parents need to be better educated about how to use them. A week before the meeting, the industry decided to end sales of cold products for children under two.

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我们上个月报道过治疗儿童感冒咳嗽的常用药，现在又有新的进展。美国食品与药物管理局告知父母若无医嘱不能给两岁以下的儿童服用感冒药。

美国食品与药物管理局给出建议，同时宣布一个专家会议将讨论儿童用的感冒药。顾问委员会在上周见面，并投票同意不对6岁以下儿童使用这些药物。成员指出没有足够的证据证实这些药物对儿童有效。他们呼吁进行更多的研究。

委员会同时称液状药剂同样应采用相同的度量标准。这样可以降低由于父母给儿童用药过量所致的危险。在极少数情况中，死亡是由于用药过量造成的。

药品业称它的产品对儿童是安全有效的。但是它称父母需要更好的学习如何使用药物。在会议前的一个星期，药品业决定终止销售二岁以下儿童使用的感冒药。