Revised: 29 May 2013
Safety Information
Use of Cough and Cold Medicines in Children - New advice
List of affected medicines
A list of medicines approved for use in New Zealand which are affected by the Cough and Cold Review Group's recommendation to contraindicate their use in children less than six years of age when used to treat the symptoms of the common cold is available in Table 1.
A list of the medicines approved for use in New Zealand which remain contraindicated for use in children less than two years of age when used to treat the symptoms of the common cold is available in Table 2.
Table 1: Medicines which should not be used in children under six years of age to treat the symptoms of the common cold.
| Brand Name | Ingredient intended to treat cold symptoms |
|---|---|
| A | |
| Actifed | pseudoephedrine triprolidine |
| Actifed CC Chesty Cough | guaifenesin |
| Actifed Chesty | pseudoephedrine guaifenesin |
| Actifed Dry | pseudoephedrine dextromethorphan |
| Allersoothe Tablets | promethazine |
| Amcal Cough Suppressant Double Strength | pholcodine |
| Amcal Cough Suppressant Regular Strength | pholcodine |
| Amcal Expectorant Syrup | guaifenesin |
| B | |
| Baxters Lung Preserver | ipecacuanha |
| Baxters Tickly Cough Mixture | dextromethorphan |
| Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion | guaifenesin pseudoephedrine |
| Benadryl Chesty Forte | guaifenesin bromhexine |
| Benadryl Dry Cough & Nasal Congestion | dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine |
| Benadryl Dry Forte | dextromethorphan |
| Benadryl Nightime | dextromethorphan diphenhydramine |
| Benadryl Original Cough Medicine | diphenhydramine |
| Benylin Chesty Cough | guaifenesin |
| Benylin Dry Cough | dextromethorphan diphenhydramine |
| Bisolvon Sinus Elixir | bromhexine pseudoephedrine |
| Broncelix Expectorant | guaifenesin |
| Brondecon Expectorant | guaifenesin |
| Buckleys DM | dextromethorphan |
| C | |
| Cepacol Cough, Lemon | dextromethorphan |
| Children's Tixylix Night | pholcodine promethazine |
| Codicough | pholcodine |
| Codicough Strong | pholcodine |
| Codral Chesty Cough Liquid | guaifenesin bromhexine |
| Codral Cold & Flu | phenylephrine |
| Codral Cold & Flu | pseudoephedrine |
| Codral Cold & Flu + Cough Day & Night | dextromethorphan phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Codral Dry Cough Liquid | pholcodine |
| Codral Nightime | phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Codral Original Cold & Flu | pseudoephedrine |
| Codral Original Cold & Flu + Cough | pseudoephedrine dextromethorphan chlorphenamine |
| Codral Original Cold & Flu Max | pseudoephedrine chlorphenamine |
| Codral Original Day & Night | pseudoephedrine |
|
Coldrex Cold & Flu |
pseudoephedrine |
|
Coldrex Cough & Cold |
dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine |
|
Coldrex Day & Night |
pseudoephedrine chlorphenamine |
|
Coldrex Hot Remedy Cold & Flu Plus with Nasal Decongestant |
phenylephrine |
|
Coldrex Night Relief |
dextromethorphan promethazine |
| Coldrex PE Cold & Flu, Night & Day | phenylephrine dextromethorphan chlorphenamine |
| Coldrex PE Cold & Flu Plus | phenylephrine |
| Coldrex PE Cough, Cold & Flu | phenylephrine guaifenesin |
| Coldrex PE Sinus | phenylephrine |
| D | |
| Day & Night Cold & Flu | dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine chlorphenamine |
| Day & Night Cold & Flu + Cough | dextromethorphan phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Demazin | pseudoephedrine |
| Demazin Cold Relief Blue | phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Demazin Cold Relief Blue Paediatric Oral Drops | phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Demazin Cold Relief Colour Free | phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Demazin Cold Relief Colour Free Paediatric Oral Drops | phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Demazin Day/Night Relief | pseudoephedrine |
| Dexi-Tuss Cough Linctus Junior Dry | dextromethorphan |
| Dexi-Tuss Cough Liquid Dry | dextromethorphan |
| Dextromethorphan Cough Mixture | dextromethorphan |
| Difflam Anti-Inflammatory Cough | pholcodine |
| Difflam Anti-Inflammatory Lozenges with Cough Suppressant | pholcodine |
| Dimetapp Chest Congestion Drops | guaifenesin |
| Dimetapp Chesty Cough Elixir | bromhexine guaifenesin |
| Dimetapp Cold & Flu Day Relief | dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine |
| Dimetapp Cold & Flu Night Relief | dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine doxylamine |
| Dimetapp Cough Cold & Flu Day + Night | dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine doxylamine |
| Dimetapp Daytime/Nightime | dextromethorphan doxylamine |
| Dimetapp DM Drops Colour Free Cough & Cold | dextromethorphan phenylephrine brompheniramine |
| Dimetapp CM Drops Cough and Cold | dextromethorphan phenylephrine brompheniramine |
| Dimetapp DM Elixir Colour Free Cough & Cold | dextromethorphan phenylephrine brompheniramine |
| Dimetapp DM Elixir Cough & Cold | dextromethorphan phenylephrine brompheniramine |
| Dimetapp Elixir Cold & Allergy | phenylephrine brompheniramine |
| Dimetapp Elixir Colour Free Cold & Allergy | phenylephrine brompheniramine |
| Dimetapp Extra Strength Drops Cold & Allergy | phenylephrine brompheniramine |
| Dimetapp Extra Strength Drops Colour Free Cold & Allergy | phenylephrine brompheniramine |
| Dimetapp Nightime Cold & Flu | dextromethorphan doxylamine |
| Diphenacough | diphenhydramine |
| Dry Cough Mixture | dextromethorphan |
| Dry Irritating Cough Mixture | dextromethorphan |
| Dry Tickly Cough Mixture | pholcodine |
| Duro-Tuss Chesty Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant | pseudoephedrine bromhexine |
| Duro-Tuss Chesty Forte Cough Liquid | guaifenesin bromhexine |
| Duro-Tuss Chesty Forte Oral Liquid | guaifenesin bromhexine |
| Duro-Tuss Cough Liquid Expectorant | pholcodine bromhexine |
| Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid Forte | pholcodine |
| Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid Junior | pholcodine |
| Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid Regular | pholcodine |
| Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant | pseudoephedrine pholcodine |
| Duro-Tuss Dry Cough (Orange) | pholcodine |
| Duro-Tuss Dry Cough (Lemon) | pholcodine |
| Duro-Tuss Junior Chesty Oral Liquid | guaifenesin bromhexine |
| Duro-Tuss PE Dry Cough + Nasal Decongestant | phenylephrine pholcodine |
| L | |
| Lemsip Chesty Cough Medicine | guaifenesin |
| Lemsip Max All-In-One Cold & Flu | phenylephrine guaifenesin |
| Lemsip Max Cold & Flu Day & Night | phenylephrine |
| Lemsip Max Cold & Flu Daytime | phenylephrine |
| Lemsip Max Cold & Flu Direct (Blackcurrant) | phenylephrine |
| Lemsip Max Cold & Flu Direct (Lemon) | phenylephrine |
| Lemsip Max Cold & Flu Goodnight | phenylephrine guaifenesin |
| Lemsip Max Cold & Flu with Decongestant | phenylephrine |
| Lemsip Max Cold & Flu with Decongestant Hot Drink | phenylephrine |
| Lemsip Max Flexi Cold & Flu | phenylephrine |
| Lemsip Max Sinus | phenylephrine |
| M | |
| Maxiclear Cold and Flu Relief | phenylephrine |
| Maxiclear Hayfever and Sinus Relief | phenylephrine |
| Maxiclear Sinus and Pain Relief | phenylephrine |
| Maxiclear Sinus Relief | phenylephrine |
| Medco Tickly Cough Mixture | dextromethorphan |
| N | |
| No Frills Cough Mixture | ipecacuanha |
| Nurofen Cold & Flu PE | phenylephrine |
| Nurofen Cold & Flu with Decongestant | pseudoephedrine |
| O | |
| Orthoxicol Cold & Flu | dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine |
| Orthoxicol Day & Night Cold and Flu | dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine chlorphenamine |
| P | |
| Panadol Cold & Flu | dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine |
| Panadol Cold & Flu Max + Decongestant Powder | phenylephrine |
| Panadol Cold & Flu Max + Decongestant Tablets | phenylephrine |
| Panadol Cold & Flu Relief PE | phenylephrine dextromethorphan |
| Panadol Flu Strength Day & Night PE | phenylephrine dextromethorphan chlorphenamine |
| Panadol Sinus Relief PE | phenylephrine |
| Phensedyl Dry Family Cough | pseudoephedrine pholcodine promethazine |
| Pholcodine BP | pholcodine |
| Pholcodine Linctus | pholcodine |
| Pholcodine Linctus BP | pholcodine |
| Pholcodine Strong BP | pholcodine |
| Pholcodine Strong Linctus | pholcodine |
| R | |
| Robitussin Chesty Cough | guaifenesin |
| Robitussin Chesty Cough Forte | bromhexine guaifenesin |
| Robitussin Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion PS | pseudoephedrine guaifenesin |
| Robitussin Children's Night Relief | dextromethorphan pseudoephedrine chlorphenamine |
| Robitussin Cough & Chest Congestion | guaifenesin dextromethorphan |
| Robitussin DMP Extra Strength | pseudoephedrine dextromethorphan |
| Robitussin Dry Cough | dextromethorphan |
| Robitussin Dry Cough Forte | dextromethorphan |
| Robitussin EX Cough Syrup | guaifenesin |
| Robitussin Paediatric Chesty Cough | guaifenesin |
| S | |
| Sinutab Sinus,Allergy & Pain Relief | pseudoephedrine chlorphenamine |
| Sinutab Sinus & Pain Relief | pseudoephedrine |
| Sinutab PE Sinus, Allergy & Pain Relief | phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Sinutab PE Sinus & Pain Relief | phenylephrine |
| Strepsils Chesty Cough Syrup | guaifenesin |
| Strepsils Dry Cough | dextromethorphan |
| Strepsils Dry Cough Extra Strength | destromethorphan |
| Strepsils Dry Cough Syrup | dextromethorphan |
| Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP | pholcodine |
| Stubborn Dry Tickly Cough | pholcodine |
| Sudafed Congestion & Sinus Pain Relief | pseudoephedrine |
| Sudafed for Children | pseudoephedrine |
| Sudafed PE Nasal Decongestant | phenylephrine |
| Sudafed PE Sinus + Allergy & Pain Relief | phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Sudafed PE Sinus + Pain Relief | phenylephrine |
| Sudafed PE Sinus Day + Night Relief | phenylephrine chlorphenamine |
| Sudafed Sinus 12 Hour Relief | pseudoephedrine |
| Sudafed Sinus and Nasal Decongestant | pseudoephedrine |
| Sudafed Sinus + Allergy & Pain Relief | pseudoephedrine triprolidine |
| Sudafed Sinus + Pain Relief | pseudoephedrine |
| Sudafed Sinus Day + Night Relief | pseudoephedrine triprolidine |
| Sudomyl Elixir | pseudoephedrine |
| Sudomyl Tablets | pseudoephedrine |
| V | |
| Vicks Cough Syrup Honey Flavour for Dry Cough | dextromethorphan |
| Vicks Cough Lozenges Honey Flavour for Dry Cough | dextromethorphan |
| Vicks Cough Syrup Honey Flavour for Chesty Cough | guaifenesin |
| Vicks Formula 44 Expectorant & Cough Suppressant Syrup | dextromethorphan guaifenesin |
| Vicks Formula 44 for Dry Coughs | dextromethorphan |
| Vicks Formula 44 for Chesty Coughs | guaifenesin |
Table 2: Medicines which should not be used in children
under two years of age to treat the symptoms of the common cold.
| Brand Name | Ingredient intended to treat cold symptoms |
|---|---|
| A | |
| At Eze | oxymetazoline |
| B | |
| Bisolvon Chesty Forte | bromhexine |
| Bisolvon Chesty Tablets | bromhexine |
| D | |
| Demazin Decongestant Nasal Spray | oxymetazoline |
| Demazin Decongestant Nasal Spray Metered Pump | oxymetazoline |
| Demazin Paediatric Decongestant Nasal Drops | oxymetazoline |
| Dimetapp 12 Hour Nasal Spray | oxymetazoline |
| Drixine Adult Nasal Drops | oxymetazoline |
| Drixine Decongestant Nasal Spray | oxymetazoline |
| Drixine Metered Pump Decongestant Nasal Spray | oxymetazoline |
| Drixine Paediatric Decongestant Nasal Drops | oxymetazoline |
| Drixine Paediatric Metered Dose Spray | oxymetazoline |
| Drixine Paediatric Nasal Drops | oxymetazoline |
| Duro-Tuss Chesty Cough Liquid Regular | bromhexine |
| L | |
| Logicin Rapid Relief Nasal Spray | oxymetazoline |
| O | |
| Otrivin Adult Nasal Drops | xylometazoline |
| Otrivin Adult Nasal Spray | xylometazoline |
| Otrivin Junior Nasal Drops | xylometazoline |
| Otrivin Junior Nasal Spray | xylometazoline |
| Otrivin Menthol Adult Nasal Spray | xylometazoline |
| Otrivine Menthol Nasal Drops | xylometazoline |
| Otrivine Menthol Nasal Spray | xylometazoline |
| V | |
| Vicks Sinex 12 Hour | oxymetazoline |
| Vicks Sinex 12 Hour Ultra Fine Mist | oxymetazoline |
