FDA to review multi-symptom drugs for kids

St. Paul, Minn. — If you have a cold or cough, the choices at the drug store medicine aisle seem endless. Cough treatment, cold and cough treatments, cold and sinus and cough treatments, runny nose, itching, pain relief and cold treatments. You get the point.

If you stare long enough, every possible combination of over-the-counter ingredients is available. The same is true for children's medicines -- with colorful syrups that treat a variety of symptoms all at the same time.

Most of those treatments warn they aren't meant for children under age two. But now, the Food and Drug Administration is concerned about multi-symptom treatments for older children. They've scheduled a review by a panel of experts in October to talk about the safety and labeling of these drugs.

Dr. Jon Hallberg, regular medical analyst on All Things Considered spoke with Tom Crann about the issue.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, 08/24/2007, 4:52 p.m.