What is Digg?59 Comments
- wiirdo, on 10/18/2007, -1/+16Infant medication has been around for a long, long time. All of a sudden it's deadly?
- chriskzoo, on 10/18/2007, -1/+14 Being a pharmacist, I can tell you that there is nothing wrong with these products that were pulled other than stupid parents who were dosing it wrong.
- Dralite, on 10/18/2007, -0/+13For those who haven't bought cold meds in the past year, most of the medicines with a ingredient called Phenylephrine were either pulled completely, put behind the pharmacy counter, or changed. They are starting to notice that the changes that they had to make to there products are having adverse affects, and these child deaths can be included.
But there is also something to be said in the way some parents i have seen, having been working in a pharmacy for the past 3 years, are giving these kids the medicines. I have sold prescription cough syrups that should have lasted 30 days and the parent calls me in a week to get a refill. Point the finger which ever way you want, anyway may be right. - sensoukami, on 10/18/2007, -0/+10"He became alarmed when four Baltimore children died after their parents gave them excessive doses of cold medicines."
In other words, most of these parents can't read and follow the ***** instructions???? I've come across similar articles about this, and in most cases, and incorrect dosage was given. Yeah, parents are dumb, let's blame "Big Pharma" so we can feel all edgy and trendy. Factor out the 'incorrect dosage' deaths, and we're looking at a very very small number of deaths here...
Having said that, I'd like to hear about the efficacy argument. There seems to be some question as to whether these medications work effectively on young ones, which is a valid avenue of investigation. No point running even a small risk for no return. - StarlessKnight, on 10/18/2007, -0/+9You can thank government for demanding that Pseudoephedrine be put behind the counter because of meth users.
- inactive, on 10/18/2007, -10/+17He was happy because you drugged him with your damn meds.
- Chompy, on 10/18/2007, -2/+8OVER-drugged him. At the root of almost all of these reports are parents giving their children way too much of these drugs.
- sensoukami, on 10/18/2007, -2/+8I'm shocked that anyone would Digg up such an idiotic comment. Giving cough syrup when sick hardly qualifies as "drugged him with...damn meds". It's not like they were pushing it on him 24/7 from birth.
- catalysis, on 10/18/2007, -0/+6This kind of irresponsibility is why we have to get doctor's prescriptions for simple medicines that should be available OTC. Instead of paying $10, you have to pay $10 + $200 for the doctor visit.
- zilch321, on 10/18/2007, -0/+6How many children in America? What are the chances that each month parents dont properly use the drugs they buy? 750 cases a year? Thats nothing. Only recalled because everyone fears the lawyers even when its clear nothing is really wrong here.
- inactive, on 10/18/2007, -0/+6"56 deaths since 1966".... wow thats like has to be like some .0000000000001% of all the population.
- Dralite, on 10/18/2007, -0/+5sorry... the ingredient is called Pseudoephedrine, Phenylephrine replaced it in most cough & cold products
- glucoseboy, on 10/18/2007, -0/+5Over the counter the meds are still meds and overdoses are still possible. Acetaminophen is in practically every over-the-counter cold medicine and it's quite easy to get an overdose if your not careful. Overdose leads to liver failure.
In looking at this particular case, it appears that this kid was not able to metabolize one of the ingredients in the medicine he was given. No way for the Doctor or family to know in advance. - UwasaWaya, on 10/18/2007, -0/+4Actually, I study drug use, and the trouble here is not that the kid was given too much, it's that his body can't metabolize the DXM in the cough syrup. For someone to overdose on DXM you'd have to consume an absurd amount of the stuff... for instance, someone with a body weight of 180-220 or so would need 2-3 pills for normal dosage, 20-30 (or more) to get ***** up, and then probably 80 or more to actually put their life in danger.
Sadly, some of those kids CAN'T metabolize it... and because of that, they die. - Chompy, on 10/18/2007, -2/+6I suggest that you're a holistic nutball.
- rsd212, on 10/18/2007, -0/+4I already get treated like Im cooking meth everytime I want some allergy meds, please dont start banning cough syrup because some idiot parents overmedicate their spawn out of the gene pool....
- qber, on 10/18/2007, -0/+3Lame description. Don't just blindly quote the first sentence of the article unless it actually provides a useful elaboration or description of the subject at hand.
- hokie47, on 10/18/2007, -3/+6We can thank meth users for putting Pseudoephedrine products behind the counters. Phenylephrine (PE) is not as good as Pseudoephedrine.
- chriskzoo, on 10/18/2007, -0/+3Exactly - nothing other than dumb parents who think everything has to be medicated. Got a cold? Better crack out the Tylenol Cough and Cold. Kid a little hyper? Just pop them and ADHD drug.
- Eljefedeath, on 10/18/2007, -1/+4Clearly parents are overdosing kids but that doesn't mean that the FDA taking another look at these meds is a bad thing.
- FishHammer, on 10/19/2007, -0/+3I think we should just ban children
- BoneheadFarker, on 10/18/2007, -0/+3Since you seem to be a pharmacist, please let everyone know why Ephedrine was replace with Pseudoephedrine, then with Phenylephrine, and why it doing all that hasn't done ***** for the "War On Drugs"...
- positron, on 10/18/2007, -0/+3Thanks War on Drugs!
- inactive, on 10/18/2007, -0/+2For just a very few amount of babies? Maybe.
Even if it is, does the benefit out weight the risk?
Lots of drugs we take kill people. But its a very small number of people, and the benefit is worth the risk. - inactive, on 10/18/2007, -0/+2Frenzy? Not so much.
Investigation to make sure this stuff is safe along with a choice on the part of the drug companies to not take chances with lives until it is? Yes.
This is exactly what the FDA should be doing. - DiggzDE, on 10/18/2007, -1/+3So does this mean all Digg users are Scientologists now?
- dcmjzero, on 10/19/2007, -0/+2they are just over compensating because they feel guilty for accidentally overdosing their kid. this reminds me of the mother in the uk trying to ban pens with caps from schools because her darwin-ed kid choked on one. sometimes you just need to move on.
- Eljefedeath, on 10/18/2007, -0/+2You say the sweetest things.
- positron, on 10/18/2007, -0/+2They call him El Jefe, the Primo de Los Matador
The master of the metaphor, a chaw chewin' troubador
The one you've come to love and adore, and he's come to take drugs away! - emjaymj, on 10/19/2007, -0/+2A LOT of people are lacking the enzyme required to break down DXM. These people don't usually die, it just hits them hard. Most people can take upwards of 50 times the suggested amount, and many do recreationally. The enzyme problem is so common that it is VERY important for people to test the waters and only take 3-4 times the normal dose first. Even this amount is just supposed to produce an intense experience, not kill anybody.
If anything, it would seem like his mother DID give him too much and although it would be safe for the majority of people, it wasn't for him. - dcmjzero, on 10/18/2007, -1/+2you do realize that the drugs were safe- it was the parents who were overdosing them. USE AS DIRECTED- it is on the box.
- sensoukami, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1Agreed in this particular case, it was not an issue of dosage, this poor child had a genuine physical problem. I was speaking about the large number of cases involving incorrect dosage. I confess I haven't come across any raw research, but I looked at various sites up here in Canada when the story broke (I have two kids), and the consensus seemed to be that in most cases parents were giving too much. Again, that was NOT the cause in this particular case. I am not blaming this child's parents....
- bahlakuh, on 10/18/2007, -1/+2Damn parents, guess they need to put the dosing directions in more than 2 languages and explain half a tsp doesn't mean half the bottle
- cybele, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1It is true that it says nothing in the article that she gave the child too much medicine. But, you are wrong in saying that she has older children. Devon was the first born child/grandchild of both the mother and grandmother.
- Yurhiness, on 10/18/2007, -1/+2well said. ***** you guys.
A doctor tells you to give your child such & such dose, you usually trust that he knows wtf he is talking about. This could have so easily been one of my kids. Or anyone's. How dare you point your finger at her, dickwad. - inactive, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1"Earlier this year, the FDA completed a review that found between 1969 and the fall of 2006 there were 54 reported child deaths from decongestants and 69 from antihistamines. Most of the deaths occurred in children under 2"
Thirty seven years of record keeping and all they could come up with was 54 deaths? I know this sounds callous, but come on. No drug is ever 100% safe, even aspirin is dangerous to some people. Now no one gets to use a medication because less than a handful die. I have children myself and I have zero concerns about giving my daughter medication. Of course, now my choices have been limited as to what I can give her when she gets sick. - sensoukami, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1I agree with regards to over-drugges, as it is a frequent cause of death in many cases. I have issue with the "he was happy because he was drugged" BS....
- dcmjzero, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1they need to fix that bug. i have done double post a couple of times on accident.
- inactive, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1No they don't, learn English or die!!
- X1Jack, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1I'm waiting for the spike in child deaths now that the pharm companies are pulling the child dose products. Jr. has a cough and the drug store doesn't carry child cough syrup? He's about half as tall as me, the bottle doesn't list kids doses, so should he get 3/4 or 1/2 an adult dose of this stuff...
That probably won't happen, though, because parents always follow dosing instructions. - inactive, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1Oh yes, the "evils" of those big mean companies. We would all be much better off taking "medicine" that was mixed in someones basement in a bathtub from herbs and cat piss right?
- inactive, on 10/28/2007, -0/+1What's funny to me is that you would want your child NOT to cough in the first place. Furthermore that an intelligent doctor would even prescribe something that contradicts the body's own natural defense to get rid of mucous is unethical in my opinion. Coughing breaks up phlegm in the lungs, so you can breath. That's a good thing. Don't waste your money. My kids have been to the doctor 1 time in their lives. He told me not to waste my money should they fall ill again. Keep them healthy by eating nutritious meas & avoiding sugar like the plague. It's been very good advice over the years. I just give them a teaspoon of whiskey with lemon juice & honey when their sick. Works like a charm. Nice steamy bathroom for 20 minutes does too. No antibiotics. No panic. Just good old fashioned grandma's wisdom passed down. Before there were docs & meds we had common sense!
- joklem, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1***** that, gimme morphine.
- inactive, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1"I'm a technical person"
Sure you are - positron, on 10/18/2007, -0/+1But.. but... but, think of the children!
- Eljefedeath, on 10/18/2007, -1/+1What is with all of the angry responses? There is not a medical doctor on the planet who would not tell you that allowing your body to fight off an illness will make your imune system stronger. Chill out.
- cocreator10, on 10/18/2007, -1/+1 So if it replaced it then that is what is in it now.
- Eljefedeath, on 10/18/2007, -3/+3Study after study shows that making an effort to prevent illness and then treating the cause of the illness and not just the symptoms is very effective and not at all the action of a "nutball". Come out of your cave you silly little troll.
- MsPunky, on 10/18/2007, -1/+1I don't know where you see it saying she over-drugged him. If you read the article, it states that the mom gave the exact dose as instructed by her doctor. She has older children as well...you would think something would have also happened to them if she honestly was the type to give too much medicine to them.
"The doctor told her to give Devon an over-the-counter infant cold and cough medicine. Alvarez followed the doctor's directions and gave Devon the suggested amount."
In this case, the infant's death was not deemed an overdose of drugs.
"The cause of death: Dextromethorphan intoxication. Devon's family says they were told later that Devon's body could not metabolize one of the key ingredients found in many infant cold and cough medicines." - Wavicle, on 10/19/2007, -0/+0According to this article, in the 40 years from 1969 to 2006, 54 children have died from decongestants. That puts the risk around 1 in 3 MILLION. Children are more than 10,000 times more likely to die in an auto accident. The fact that they are meeting about this at all suggests they have too much time on their hands and are needlessly spending their time discussing medicine that does more good than harm.
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