SRINAGAR: Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, on Monday issued a strong advisory against prescribing or dispensing cough and cold medications to children below two years of age, in line with the latest directive from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Chairing a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, Dr Abid Rasheed underlined the need for rational use of medicines in paediatric care and called for strict adherence to national guidelines to ensure patient safety. The meeting was attended by the Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration, Jammu and Kashmir, Smita Sethi, Heads of Departments of Paediatrics from all Government Medical Colleges of Jammu and Kashmir, and senior officers from the Drugs Control Organisation.
“The irrational use of medications in children can have serious and avoidable health consequences. We must promote evidence-based paediatric care and ensure that every medicine prescribed is both safe and necessary,” Dr Abid Rasheed said.
He directed all medical professionals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and regulatory authorities to strictly comply with the advisory issued by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), which states that most acute cough and cold illnesses in children are self-limiting and resolve without the need for pharmacological intervention.
During the discussion, Heads of Paediatrics departments emphasised that such medications are not generally recommended even for children below five years of age. They added that in older children, their use should be based on careful clinical evaluation, close supervision, and adherence to dosage guidelines, while avoiding multiple drug combinations.
Dr Abid Rasheed instructed pharmaceutical manufacturers operating in Jammu and Kashmir to adhere to WHO-GMP standards and to conduct complete impurity profiling in accordance with the latest pharmacopeial standards. He also directed Drugs Control Officers to sensitise chemists and pharmacists against the over-the-counter sale of cough and cold syrups without a proper prescription.
To ensure compliance, field officers have been asked to conduct regular sampling and testing of such products under Section 23 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Any violation, the Secretary cautioned, would invite strict penal action, including suspension or cancellation of licences under Rule 66 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules.
The general public has been strongly advised to refrain from self-medicating children and to consult qualified doctors or paediatricians before administering any cough or cold syrup.
“All field officers and medical institutions must ensure strict enforcement of these guidelines across the Union Territory to protect child health and prevent misuse of medications,” Dr Abid Rasheed said, reiterating the government’s commitment to rational and evidence-based paediatric care. -(KL)
