EU bans potentially dangerous cough syrups

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced on Friday that cough syrups containing pholcodine should be banned in the European Union because they can cause a very dangerous allergic reaction to general anesthesia.

This type of syrup, intended for the treatment of dry coughs in both children and adults, can be dangerous even if it was consumed long before anesthesia.

“Use of pholcodine within the previous twelve months may cause an anaphylactic reaction during general anesthesia,” “a sudden severe allergic reaction that can lead to death,” the EMA said in a press release announcing its decision. to be applied after administrative approval.

Already banned in France

These drugs, used since the 1950s, were until recently sold in Belgium, Croatia, France, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Slovenia under the brand names dimethane, biocalyptol and broncalene, among others.

However, in September, the French health authorities announced that the marketing authorization for these syrups had been withdrawn, and those already available in pharmacies or health centers would be withdrawn from circulation.

In April 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 epidemic, one of the main symptoms of which was a dry cough, it was also recommended not to use this type of syrup.