Select a region
The Bailiwick has followed the UK in withdrawing some 'over the counter' cough and cold remedies due to emerging evidence that one ingredient could cause an allergic reaction.
The British Medicines and Healthcare products and Regulatory Agency (MHRA) says there is a possible link between consuming pholcodine and developing a severe allergic reaction.
But it stresses that the withdrawal is a precautionary measure, and the likelihood of experiencing severe symptoms is low. All community pharmacies were alerted to the change by Guernsey’s Senior Pharmacist yesterday morning.
A Health & Social Care spokesperson said that people “should not continue to take any product containing pholcodine, although there is no immediate concern of harm.
“Islanders should contact their pharmacy if they are unsure whether any products they may have at home are affected. Any remaining medicine can be taken to a pharmacy for safe disposal where the community pharmacy team will be able to advise on alternative products which they can buy.”
Pictured: Affected products have been withdrawn from local pharmacy shelves.
HSC also said that pholcodine “has a good safety record over decades of use” and that “the numbers of people affected will be very small".
“The evidence base regarding the effectiveness of cough suppressants is not strong, so it’s now thought that this small risk outweighs any potential benefits of taking products containing pholcodine."
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.