On October 11, 2007, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), on behalf of the leading makers of over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines, announced the voluntary withdrawal of oral infant cough and cold medications from store shelves. The following provides some helpful information on this voluntary withdrawal.

• The voluntary withdrawal of OTC oral infant cough and cold medicines was initiated by the makers of those medications out of an abundance of caution. This was not a mandatory recall or a medicine safety issue.
• Kids’ OTC cough and cold medicines are both safe and effective when used correctly. Very rare cases of overdose from misuse, however, reportedly have occurred, particularly in infants less than two years of age, prompting the medicine makers’ precautionary action.
• Infants under the age of two are the most vulnerable to the consequences of this misuse.
• The voluntary withdrawal only affects oral infant cough and cold medications. It does not affect any other children’s medicines.
• Oral OTC pediatric cough and cold medicines affected by this voluntary withdrawal are listed here.