Precautionary Recall - Children’s Blackcurrant Cough Syrup

Parents should check bottles of some own-brand children’s blackcurrant cough syrup to see if they need a replacement, advises Dr Sam Atkinson, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Director of the Inspection, Enforcement and Standards Division.

A problem with one of the ingredients in these medicines has been identified which could cause them to allow mould to grow. There is a low risk that the mould could make a child unwell or cause a reaction, although to date we are not aware of any cases where this has happened. As a precaution it has been decided to recall affected batches. Only a small number of batches from eight different products are being recalled. No other cough syrups are affected.

Dr Sam Atkinson said: “Check if you have any of the listed cough syrups and if you do, please don’t use them. Take them back to where you bought them from. The mould is not always visible, so return any of the affected cough syrup bottles, even if it looks okay to use. If your child has recently taken one of these cough syrups, and, in the unlikely event that they have become unwell or had a reaction, please speak to your GP, pharmacist or other healthcare professional.

“Our highest priority is making sure the medicines you and your family take are safe. This is why, even though there is a low risk of a reaction, we have asked the company to carry out this recall and why we want people to check their medicine cabinets. As with any medicine, we strongly encourage anyone to report any suspected side effects to us via our Yellow Card Scheme.”