OTC Anti-Cough meds useless?????????

It seems all those "Over The Counter" OTC cough meds may not be doing us any good.\

"Despite the billions of dollars spent every year in this country on over-the-counter cough syrups, most such medicines do little if anything to relieve coughs, the nation's chest physicians say."

"Over-the-counter cough syrups generally contain drugs in too low a dose to be effective"

Why does it not comeout that they are not effetive? Reread the first part of the first quote...Billions of dollars spent.....

This is wasted money or worse, people take several times the recommended does-self medicating-which can lead to over doses.

*Edited to put link to original article

news.yahoo.com...

[edit on 1/9/2006 by mrmonsoon]

They do hardly any good for me. When I have a bad cough, I need to go to the doctor and get a prescription for narcotic cough syrup.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
They do hardly any good for me. When I have a bad cough, I need to go to the doctor and get a prescription for narcotic cough syrup.

That is true.
One of the best cough supressents is codine-a prescription pain drug.

That is great unless you are like 40% of America and react badly to codine. Most people react to it by being slightly sleepy to fully knocked out or somewhere inbetween. I found my body does not break it down, so it acts as a very strong pep medicine-ie I can't sit still.

Yes there are issue at every turn for those with coughs.

Oh no, my kid's abusing the cough medicine with codeine! Oh no, we must take it off the shelves and make it prescription only! Oh no, now my kid's sniffing Krylon! Oh no, you now must be eighteen to buy spray paint! Oh no, now my kid's swallowing 20 Sudafeds at a time! Oh no, Oh no, Oh no, Oh no!!!!!!!!

Make the good stuff OTC again and regulate it because kids will always find a way.

Peace

[edit on 10-1-2006 by Dr Love]

Menthol Works Wonders, And its otc.

Codiene Is to easily Abused And should be regulated. (At least that's how the arguement goes.)