Walgreens Informs Customers On New Children's Dosing Directions For Over-the-Counter Cough And Cold Products

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS;  Respiratory / Asthma;  Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 08 Oct 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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Walgreens (NYSE:WAG)(NASDAQ:WAG) will inform its customers about new dosing directions for certain children's over-the-counter cough and cold medicines through in-store shelf signage and consultations with pharmacists.

The Consumer Health Products Association (CHPA) today said manufacturers are voluntarily implementing new children's dosing directions to indicate these products should not be taken by children under age 4. The new directions will be introduced on product labels throughout the upcoming cough and cold season. After consulting with CHPA, manufacturers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Walgreens supports having current versions of these products available to customers during the upcoming cough and cold season while manufacturers update their labeling.

Walgreens will have the newly labeled products on store shelves as soon as they're available from manufacturers. Walgreens also will inform customers of the new labeling guidelines through in-store shelf signage. In addition, Walgreens pharmacists are available to answer questions from customers about cough and cold medicines.

The FDA recommends consumers use the following steps when giving children a cough and cold medicine:

-- Check the "active ingredients" section of the DRUG FACTS label.

-- Be careful if you are giving more than one OTC cough and cold medicine to a child. If you use two medicines that have the same or similar "active ingredients," a child could get too much of an ingredient, which may hurt your child.

-- Carefully follow the directions in the DRUG FACTS label.

-- Only use the measuring spoons or cups that come with the medicine or those made specially for measuring drugs.

-- Choose OTC cough and cold medicines with childproof safety caps, when available, and store the medicines out of reach of children.

-- Understand that OTC cough and cold medicines do not cure or shorten the duration of the common cold.

-- Do not use these products to sedate your child or make children sleepy.

-- Call a physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional if you have additional questions about using cough or cold medicines in children.

Walgreens is the USA's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,479 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and cost-effective health care services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems, which is comprised of: Take Care Consumer Solutions, managers of 247 convenient care clinics at Walgreens drugstores, and Take Care Employer Solutions, managers of worksite-based health and wellness services at 364 employer campuses.

http://www.walgreens.com

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