Cold and flu medicines urgently pulled from supermarket shelves over health fears
The MHRA ordered the withdrawal of the medicines as a precaution
PA
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Common cold and flu remedies are being urgently pulled from supermarket shelves on the orders of the medicine regulator.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned there were risks of using products such as Day & Night Nurse and Covonia.
It said there was a very rare chance of people experiencing an allergic reaction linked to an ingredient called pholcodine.
A review by the MHRA found the benefits of pholcodine-containing cough and cold medicines "do not outweigh the increased risk of the very rare event of anaphylaxis".
It said the decision to pull the products was a "precaution".
Britons are being urged to check the packaging of any cough tablets or syrups they have at home to see if pholcodine is listed as an ingredient.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said: "Safety is our top priority, and we keep the safety of medicines under continual review.
"Following a thorough scientific safety review of all the available evidence on pholcodine, together with advice from the independent Commission on Human Medicines, it has been recommended, as a precautionary measure, that these products should no longer be used."
She added: "If you have an operation scheduled using general anaesthesia, tell your anaesthetist if you think you have used pholcodine, particularly in the past 12 months.
"The anaesthetist will be well placed to take this into account. Anaesthetists are highly trained in managing anaphylaxis.
"If you want more information or advice, please speak to your pharmacist."
Europe's medicines regulator has also recommended the medicines be withdrawn.
Impacted brands include:
- Boots Night Cough Relief Oral Solution, PL 00014/0230
- Boots Dry Cough Syrup 6 Years+
- Boots Day Cold & Flu Relief Oral Solution
- Cofsed Linctus
- Care Pholcodine 5mg/5ml Oral Solution Sugar Free
- Galenphol Linctus
- Galenphol Paediatric Linctus
- Galenphol Strong Linctus
- Covonia Dry Cough Sugar Free Formula
- Pholcodine Linctus Bells Healthcare 5mg Per 5ml Oral Solution
- Numark Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution
- Well Pharmaceuticals Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution
- Superdrug Pholcodine Linctus BP
- Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP
- Pholcodine Linctus BP
- Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP