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Important information about dextromethorphan

At an FDA Advisory Committee meeting on September 14, a very important discussion took place about an issue we take very seriously — the intentional abuse of over-the-counter cough medicines containing dextromethorphan by teens. Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. is committed to the safety of everyone who uses our products.

Dextromethorphan, the most common ingredient in over-the-counter cough medicines in the United States, is safe and effective when used as directed and has been relied on by adults and children for more than 50 years to temporarily relieve coughs.

The Advisory Committee voted that scheduling dextromethorphan is not necessary under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in the United States. This recommendation reaffirms that there are more effective measures that can be taken to address intentional cough medicine abuse by teens, while maintaining the availability of over-the-counter cough medicines containing dextromethorphan for the millions of people who need them.

Cough medicines containing dextromethorphan are safe and effective when used as directed and consumers can continue to trust and rely on these medicines, as they have for decades. As with all medicines, consumers should always read the complete drug facts label before use and only use medicines as directed to treat their specific symptoms.

We recognize that the intentional abuse of medicines containing dextromethorphan by teens is an issue and have taken a leadership role, along with the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), to address it through targeted and meaningful interventions including educational initiatives. We also support pending legislation that will help prevent such abuse.

Tips for preventing intentional cough medicine abuse:

Most importantly, parents and teens should know that:

  • Over-the-counter medicine - just like any medicine - is a serious substance, and should be taken only as directed
  • Over-the-counter cough medicines containing dextromethorphan, like all medicines, should be stored in a safe, secure location

Signs that abuse may be taking place include:

  • Empty cough and cold medicine boxes or bottles in the trash of your child's room, or boxes or bottles missing from the medicine cabinet
  • Visiting pro-drug websites that provide information on how to abuse dextromethorphan
  • Changes in friends, physical appearance, sleeping or eating patterns
  • Declining grades
  • Loss of interest in hobbies or favorite activities
  • Hostile and uncooperative attitude
  • Unexplained disappearance of household money
  • Unusual chemical or medicinal smells on your child or in his or her room

More information about preventing intentional cough medicine abuse can be found at www.StopMedicineAbuse.org.

Triaminic® products that contain dextromethorphan

Triaminic products that contain dextromethorphan include:

  • Triaminic® Daytime Cold & Cough Syrup
  • Triaminic® Cough & Sore Throat Syrup
  • Triaminic® Multi-Symptom Fever Syrup
  • Triaminic® Long Acting Cough Syrup
  • Triaminic-D® Multi-Symptom Cold Syrup
  • Triaminic Thin Strips® Day Time Cold & Cough
  • Triaminic Thin Strips® Long Acting Cough

If you have any questions about Triaminic products containing dextromethorphan, please call our Consumer Relationship Center at 1-800-452-0051.