A federal advisory panel unanimously suggested that doses for children's acetaminophen (Tylenol) should be generally based on weight not age. Acetaminophen is the most widely recommended medicine to reduce fevers and alleviate pain in children.
Earlier this month, many drug manufacturers, actually, stopped the production of the over the counter drug acetaminophen in concentrated infant drops due to this week's advisory meeting.
The panel also advocated that a standard label be facilitated for all products and that any age-related weight tables should be updated to showcase the enhancement in the average weight of children, in the past two decades. Apart from this, the governing body also unanimously took decision in favor of incorporating dosing instructions on children's liquid medicines to infants as young as six-months.
Acetaminophen is among the most witnessed reason of unintentional poisonings seen in emergency departments and can result in severe liver failure. In addition, new dosing devices will be added in products moving forward.
Several of late studies have stated that children often get inaccurate doses of liquid OTC drugs as parents administer them in household spoons, or due to usages of wrongly marked dosing devices.
CHPA president and CEO Scott Melville said: "CHPA member companies are voluntarily making this conversion to one concentration to help make it easier for parents and caregivers to appropriately use single-ingredient liquid acetaminophen. During the transition, the makers of these medicines will also work with retailers to ensure that, as new medicines are introduced, the more concentrated infant drops will be removed from store shelves. Consumers should always read and follow the label and pay particular attention to the concentration, especially when a healthcare provider gives dosage instructions."
Manufacturers will be offering syringes with dose restrictors for medicines intended for infants, the CHPA said, but cups will remain in same for older children.
