Jeff Green writes:
>I would hope that more consideration will now be given to the licensed
>alternatives Dimotane (or if over 1 year old Piriton),and that a few
>common misconceptions about the responsibilities of pharmacists have
>been cleared up.
I am not altogether sure that there is significant robust evidence which
indicates that any of the "newer" antihistamines which are made
available for the treatment of atopy in infants are any more safe than
either trimeprazine or promethazine - which just happen to have been the
first commonly used paediatric formulations of antihistamines ever made
readily available either on Rx or OTC.
I agree that there are not insignificant risks which must be taken into
account when using such medicines - inded any medicines - but as Katie
reminds us a risk-benefit analysis should always be made by a
prescriber.
I am somewhat concerned that this debate seems to concentrate on the
medical useage of "pure" antihistamines when the wider range of sedating
antihistamines present in compound cough medicines - such as
diphenhydramine etc. etc. are very readily sold (indeed recommended !)
in retail pharmacy under the apparent guise of a particularly palatable
(albeit surprisingly sedating thanks to a frequent combination of
alcohol, antihistamine and codeine derivative) cough medicine which
makes mummy and her darlings sleep soundly and wake up smiling on all
the TV adverts! Admittedly these are often not marketed primarily to the
infant market, however I spend a lot of my professional time educating
mothers about the limited benefits of compound cough medicines.
PS: I have to confess I wrote out another script for Phenergan today!!
Jon Wilcox
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