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Prescription cough and cold medications containing opioids like codeine and hydrocodone will no longer be indicated for patients under age 18, the FDA announced.
The FDA instructed parents whose children are currently taking these medicines to talk with their clinician about alternative treatments. In addition, parents should read the labels of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines because codeine is still being sold in some states.
In 2017, the FDA added a contraindication to prescription codeine products for pain and cough in children younger than 12 years because certain patients are at risk for ultra-rapid metabolism of the drug. An expert roundtable subsequently determined that the risks for opioid cough and cold products generally o…