Each year, the editorial from Prescrire magazine publishes a list as a summary, which highlights medications to avoid. This lists 105 authorized in France or Europe, including 88 marketed in our country.
The magazine advises not to take these medications in order to “to avoid disproportionate harm to patients“. However, among this list are medicines that we have used forever, or almost. Classic medications, which are found everywhere, and which can be purchased without a prescription. It therefore seems surprising to find them in this list of medications to avoid, and yet Prescrire’s arguments hold up. Among those we know, there are Smecta. Which no one loves, by the way, but which is nevertheless an essential.
Smecta singled out by Prescrire magazine
The medication used against intestinal disorders such as diarrhea, heartburn and others is therefore included in the Prescrire list. The reason ? This is not recommended due to its “natural lead pollution“. It is in fact a source of neurological, hematological, renal and reprotoxic toxic effects., “most of which increase with exposure dose“.
But Smecta is not the only known drug on the list. There is also many syrups cough or sore throat remedies. Medicines sold without a prescription that concern colds are also singled out. However, these are remedies frequently purchased to make flu symptoms go away more quickly. They are also marked as drugs not recommended, even though they are generally displayed behind pharmacy counters in order, almost, to encourage people to purchase.