FDA Rules Out Hydrocodone Cough Syrups

In a ruling which might come as a shock to most parents, more so for t he reason behind the ruling, FDA has forbidden the manufacture and sale of certain common cough syrups containing Hydrocodone, a derivative of codeine.

If you have a runny nose and a throat so bad that you sound like a baby rattler gone faulty, you might end up having to stay without your usual prescription of cough syrup for a while now. The FDA’s cane has come whacking again, this time on the cough syrup brands with syrups containing Hydrocodone. As a result, many have been pulled from the market and others are in short supply.

The ruling has primarily affected liquid medication, especially the children's versions. The FDA decided there was too much labeling leeway on the products and pulled them to run tests and ensure safety. The labels were inaccurately suggesting the drug was safe for young patients, whereas they are yet to be proven to be safe for kids.

Those discontinued products had simply added children's dosing recommendations to their labels without verifying their safety or effectiveness through tests. Although it is a known fact that Hydrocodone is more potent than Codeine and has been around for years to treat cough and pain. But according to the new ruling: these products containing Hydrocodone can't be manufactured or distributed after March 31 because they were unapproved for usage of children under 6.

As a result of the growing use of cough syrups by drug addicts, especially children and teenagers, such steps become mandatory. Hydrocodone also can be mixed with acetaminophen, which might be more commonly known as the widely abused street drug Vicodin. In addition to providing genuine relief, the drug produces euphoria and is classified as a narcotic and controlled substance.

Most of the cough syrups did not satisfy the FDA standards and hence had to be withdrawn, thus, creating a shortage in the market. Those companies whose products which suffice the FDA guidelines are going into double shifts to meet the demand, which has sky rocketed specially during the cough and cold season.

The ban does not however include pills and tablets.