FDA looks to curb abuse of cough medicine

The Washington Times ^ | Tuesday, August 31, 2010

[EBH]

On Sept. 14, the FDA will ask a panel of outside experts whether dextromethorphan should be available only as a prescription. The agency is not required to follow the group's advice, though it often does.

Mandating a prescription for the drug would deal a major blow to over-the-counter drug makers, which use the drug in dozens of combination cold medicines. Popular brands containing dextromethorphan include Wyeth's Dimetapp, Bayer's Alka Seltzer Flu Plus and Procter & Gamble's Vicks cough medicines. The drug is available in pills, gel caps, liquids and other forms.

[EBH]

Guess I'll be buying a case of this now.

[South40]

Dextromethorphan? Ha! I’m big league, I use Promethazine w/ Codeine. A little more pricy but it sure works well.

[skeeter]

Better grab up cough syrup and Advil before it takes a prescription from a government doctor, who BTW won’t be able to see you until next quarter, if at all.

[goseminoles]

Yeah, but with DXM you trip balls. Its the Guanefesin that kills not the Dex.

[tet68]

Sso I guess terpin hydrates is right out too.

A bottle of Nyquil, a warm blanket and a strip of
duct tape. (that’s to put over your mouth after you
drink the whole bottle of Nyquil.)

[freedomfiter2]

How about we curb FDA abuse. We need a wall of separation between the government and our health decisions.

[Mygirlsmom]

Great. My twins have had a "cough from H#ll" at least twice a year from the time they were very little. Nobody in our house sleeps for several days - them because they can't stop coughing and me and MGD because we hear it all night long. Their teachers always say, "Gee, she's really coughing" as if I'm supposed to keep them home until it stops. If I did that, they'd maybe be finishing the third grade by now (they're Juniors)

Dextromethorphan actually doesn't do much good, but it's part of our arsenal of things that at least help-- a little.

Actually, the thing that worked best was the good old fashioned Nyquil. I suspect it was the alcohol content-the girls get so exhausted from coughing that I think it finally just put them to sleep. But the new reformulated cough and cold products (sans alcohol and real decongestants) don't do squat.

And yes, you read right - I gave my kids stuff with alcohol in it. Send the PC Police to my house one night during a dual coughing episode and have them tell me what's wrong with that.

[microgood]

The FDA has agreed to reconsider how it regulates the drug at the behest of the Drug Enforcement Agency, which has raised concerns about increasing abuse among adolescents.

Not surprising. May the DEA and everyone that works for it please rot in H#ll.

[keepitreal]

So now you have to visit the doctor when you have a common cold? How is that going to reduce healthcare costs?

[libertarian27]

Guess it's back to the Bourbon....

More and more they whittle the medicines of old that worked to colored water and sugar cubes, the only way you can get relief is through a doctor?

Never mind, I'll take mine straight.

[Species8472]

My grandmother swore by a mixture of whiskey, honey and lemon juice.........

[ilovesarah2012]

When I buy Nyquil, I have to give my date of birth. I guess kids are abusing it.

[varyouga]

Just another case of big government creating another illegal drug market.

This drug is almost unheard of among the hip right now. Once illegal, it will be instantly popular and cool.

When all drugs were sold at drug stores, they weren't considered cool or counterculture. Addicts were simply sad sick people. It wasn't cool to take grandmas cocaine cough drops and it's still considered sad to chug cough syrup.

Once illegal, drugs attract rockstars, bikers, celebrities, drug lords and other glamorized people that are associated with excitement and beyond the mainstream.

A percentage of people always seek excitement and go against norms. Other people want to make money at all costs. Outlawing certain drugs gave both of those people many opportunities at a very high cost to us all.

More idiotic laws always equal more unintended consequences

[guitarplayer1953]

terpin hydrates is that still otc?

back in the day I would buy novastine expectorant it has 5 mill of codeine sulfate per tea spoon you had to sign for it, but drink a half a bottle and you were scratching like a junky.

[annieokie]

I use that too, works for me and all my household.

[libertarian27]

When all drugs were sold at drug stores, they weren't considered cool or counterculture. Addicts were simply sad sick people. It wasn't cool to take grandmas cocaine cough drops and it's still considered sad to chug cough syrup.

I blame it all on Kitty Dukakis :)

[Bronzy]

Where I live you are legally permitted to buy 4oz of a codeine cough medication without prescription. However, it must be available in a 4oz bottle. The pharmacist may not pour 4oz from a stock bottle. Most pharmacies don't stock the smaller bottles. It's a game.

[Mygirlsmom]

If only my kids would take it....I have the strangest 16 yr olds ever- I give them permission for a shot of whiskey and they turn it down!

[Lurker]

I use Promethazine w/ Codeine.

Codeine is still one of the best cough suppresants known to man.

[ronnyquest]

When are we going to curb the abuses of the FDA?