These syrups, intended to treat dry cough in both children and adults, can be dangerous even if they have been consumed long before anesthesia.
Cough syrups containing pholcodine are to be banned in the European Union because they can cause a very dangerous allergic reaction to general anesthesia, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced on Friday.
These syrups, intended to treat dry cough in both children and adults, can be dangerous even if they have been consumed long before anesthesia.
“Sudden allergic reaction”, which can “cause death”
“The use of pholcodine in the previous 12 months may cause, at the time of general anesthesia, an anaphylactic reaction“, a “sudden, severe, life-threatening allergic reaction“Said the EMA in a statement announcing its decision, which will be applied upon administrative approval.
These drugs, used since the 1950s, were until recently sold in Belgium, Croatia, France, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Slovenia, in particular under the brands Dimetane, Biocalyptol and Broncalene.
Read alsoCough: syrups containing pholcodine may no longer be authorized in France
The French health authorities had however indicated in September that the marketing authorization for these syrups had been withdrawn, and that those already in place in pharmacies or health centers would be withdrawn from circulation.
In April 2020, at the height of the Covid epidemic, of which dry cough was one of the main symptoms, they also recommended not to use this type of syrup.
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