News

• FDA Drug Safety Communication: Infants’ Liquid Acetaminophen

  December 27, 2011

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  Commentary

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is informing the public that an additional concentration of liquid acetaminophen marketed for "infants" (160 mg/5 mL) is now available at local stores. Until now, liquid acetaminophen marketed for infants was only available in 80 mg/0.8 mL or 80 mg/mL concentrations. This change in the concentration will affect the amount of liquid given to an infant, and should be especially noted if someone is accustomed to using the 80 mg /0.8 mL or 80 mg/mL concentrations of liquid acetaminophen.
  
  In addition to this change in concentration, this product may also be packaged with an oral syringe instead of a dropper.
  
  To avoid confusion and the potential for dosing errors, consumers, parents, and caregivers should carefully read the Drug Facts label on the package to identify the concentration of the liquid acetaminophen (in mg/mL), dosage, and directions for use. Do not depend on banners stating it is a new product to identify different concentrations of liquid acetaminophen. Many products have similar banners.
  
  It is also important to use the dosing device provided with the product in order to correctly measure the amount of liquid acetaminophen to be given. Patients and caregivers should contact their healthcare professional if they find the measuring device confusing or are unsure how to measure a dose for a child using the device provided.
  
  Healthcare professionals should make sure to provide directions to patients that specify the concentration and dose of liquid acetaminophen that should be given to a child.
  
  

• Changes in Labeling for Children’s Pain Reliever (via Parenting Squad)

  November 17, 2011

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  Commentary

  When your child wakes up in the middle of the night crying with a fever, you need to have the right kind of medication on hand and know the correct dosage that your child requires to start feeling better. In the past, it could be quite confusing because infants' (under age 2) liquid acetaminophen was made in a concentrated form that required a smaller dose, while children's (ages 2 and up) liquid medication was not concentrated and required a whole different level of dosing. If you made a mistake and mixed up the two bottles (so easy to do at 2 a.m. when you are exhausted and not seeing straight), you could easily give too much or too little medication — a potentially dangerous situation. Fortunately, manufacturers of these children's medications realized that this situation was confusing and potentially harmful, and have made voluntary and self-initiated changes to make all of this a lot simpler for parents.

• What Parents Need to Know About Infant and Children’s Acetaminophen (via Kiddie Corner Deals)

  October 31, 2011

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  Commentary

  Changes have been made to all single-ingredient liquid infant’s and children’s acetaminophen only and do not apply to solid, single-ingredient acetaminophen or multi-symptom treatments that contain acetaminophen. But why have they made these changes? To make it easier for parents and caregivers to use the medicines and to reduce medical errors including overdosing. They have also included a better safety feature on the new infant and children’s acetaminophen bottles. They are now equipped with flow restrictors so if a child were to accidentally get a hold of a bottle of the medicine a minimal amount will leave the bottle.

• We Need to go Metric to Prevent Errors with Oral Liquids

  October 27, 2011

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  Commentary

  Michael Cohen, president of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), recently wrote an opinion piece for the Philadelphia Inquirer on the importance of standardized units of measurement in oral liquid medicines. In the article, Cohen advocates for moving to the metric system in order to prevent accidental overdoses as a result of incorrect dosing. For more information, read the full article.

• Accidental Drug Poisonings among Young Children on the Rise

  September 19, 2011

  A new study published in the September 2011 issue of the Journal of Pediatrics found that the number of accidental drug poisonings among young children surged 22 percent from 2001 to 2008. Researchers name increased quantities of medicines in the home as the primary cause. In 95 percent of the cases, the poisoning occurred because the unsupervised child ingested the drug, not because of a labeling or dosage error by a parent or health care worker.

• FDA Takes Steps to Help Protect Consumers from Skin Damage from the Sun

  June 14, 2011

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recent Consumer Update announcing steps the agency is taking to help protect consumers from skin damage caused by excessive sun exposure.

• News Regarding OTC Products Containing Benzocaine

  June 03, 2011

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a recent communication regarding a rare adverse effect in professional and OTC products containing benzocaine.

• Changes to Pediatric Acetaminophen

  May 04, 2011

  The makers of over-the-counter (OTC) single-ingredient liquid acetaminophen medicines for children announced plans on May 4 to move to one liquid concentration (or strength) for these products starting in mid-2011.

• Safety Tips for Giving Over-the-Counter Medicines to Children (via Susan Heim on Parenting)

  April 12, 2011

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  Commentary

  Did you know that the typical child gets between seven and twelve colds a year? As a parent, you know better than anyone how hard it is on the whole family when a child isn’t feeling well. But when a child gets sick, parents might not have all the information they need to safely and effectively help their child feel better, such as what medicines are right for children and how to determine correct dosage. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) Educational Foundation, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to providing public education on the appropriate and safe use of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, has created the video below that features pediatrician Ernest Leva, MD, and provides parents with tips and advice about commonly overlooked practices when giving medicine to children.

• Over-the-Counter Cold and Flu Medicine: What is Safe?(via Parenting Squad)

  April 04, 2011

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  Commentary

  When it comes to children's health, you can't be too careful. Over-the-counter medications are indispensable to many families throughout the cold and flu season. But if parents aren't careful, they can inadvertently harm the kids in their care. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association is a wonderful resource for parents who want to make sure they are using OTC cold and flu medicine properly. Watch the video and take note of the tips below!

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