Govt bans pholcodine in cough syrups
The government has banned cough syrups containing pholcodine across the country. This comes after a World Health Organisation (WHO) report had warned against it in a report a few months back.
The chemical pholcodine is commonly used in over-the-counter cough syrups.
The WHO report had warned about the “risk of anaphylactic reactions in people who have taken pholcodine-containing products at least 12 months prior to surgical procedures involving the administration of general anaesthesia with neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs)”.
An anaphylactic reaction is a kind of severe allergic reaction, which can lead to death.
The WHO specifically said that those who have had pholcodine-containing syrups in the 12 months prior to having a surgery can develop complications during the administering of surgery.
Doctors recommend patients to at least inform the concerned doctors well before a surgery so that suitable measures can be taken.
