Day and Night Nurse among drugs pulled from UK shelves over allergic shock fears
COUGH and cold medicines are being pulled from shop shelves over allergic shock fears.
Drugs including Day Nurse and Night Nurse are being taken off the British market due to a “very rare” risk of anaphylaxis.
The reaction — also known as anaphylactic shock — is severe and potentially life-threatening.
All products containing the cough suppressant pholcodine are being recalled, including Day and Night Nurse, Covonia dry cough syrup, some Boots and Superdrug cough syrups and Pholcodine Linctus bottles.
A Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency spokesperson described the move as a “precaution”.
It comes after the watchdog started reviewing high street nasal decongestants because of their link to potentially serious brain side effects last month.
Read more on anaphylaxis
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA chief safety officer said: “Safety is our top priority, and we keep the safety of medicines under continual review.
“If you are taking a cough or cold medicine, check the packaging, label or patient information leaflet to see if pholcodine is a listed ingredient.
"If it is, and you have any questions, you can talk to your pharmacist who will suggest an alternative medicine.";
Patients could be at risk of the reaction when going under general anaesthesia if they took products containing pholcodine a year before.
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If you have an operation scheduled and think you had one of the drugs in the last 12 months, you should tell your anaesthetist, Dr Cave said.
The MHRA said benefits of the medicines "do not outweigh the increased risk of the very rare event of anaphylaxis".
Anaphylactic shock symptoms include light-headedness, breathing difficulties, wheezing, a fast heartbeat and clammy skin.
If it occurs during an operation, anaesthetists are highly trained to manage it, the MHRA said.
Thorrun Govind, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: “Withdrawal is the safest option and is in line with action already taken by the European Medicines Agency.
“Patients with products in the home that contain pholcodine, such as Day Nurse, can still use them to treat symptoms of cold and flu.
“Pharmacists can advise on appropriate treatment alternatives if someone is concerned.”
WHAT PRODUCTS ARE BEING RECALLED?
- Boots Night Cough Relief Oral Solution, PL 00014/0230
- Boots Dry Cough Syrup 6 Years+, PL 00014/0523
- Boots Day Cold & Flu Relief Oral Solution, PL 00014/0565
- Cofsed Linctus, PL 00240/0097
- Care Pholcodine 5mg/5ml Oral Solution Sugar Free, PL 00240/0101
- Galenphol Linctus, PL 00240/0101
- Galenphol Paediatric Linctus, PL 00240/0102
- Galenphol Strong Linctus, PL 00240/0103
- Covonia Dry Cough Sugar Free Formula, PL 00240/0353
- Pholcodine Linctus Bells Healthcare 5mg Per 5ml Oral Solution, PL 03105/0059
- Numark Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution, PL 03105/0059
- Well Pharmaceuticals Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution, PL 03105/0059
- Superdrug Pholcodine Linctus BP, PL 03105/0059
- Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP, PL 03105/0060
- Pholcodine Linctus BP, PL 04917/0002
- Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP, PL 04917/0005
- Pholcodine Linctus, PL 12965/0030
- Day & Night Nurse Capsules, PL 44673/0068
- Day Nurse Capsules, PL 44673/0069
- Day Nurse, PL 44673/0075