Srinagar, October 7, 2025: Secretary of Health and Medical Education in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, has urged the public to avoid self-medicating children, particularly with over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold syrups, emphasising rational medication and evidence-based paediatric care. Speaking at a high-level meeting held at the Civil Secretariat, Dr. Shah highlighted the risks associated with misuse of such medications, especially for children under two years of age, in line with guidelines from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The meeting, attended by Commissioner of Food and Drugs Administration J&K, Smita Sethi, heads of paediatrics departments from government medical colleges, and officers from the Drugs Control Organisation, focused on promoting patient safety and strict enforcement of national advisories. Dr. Shah directed medical professionals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and regulatory bodies to adhere to WHO-GMP standards and avoid prescribing cough and cold medicines to children below two years, noting that most acute coughs in children are self-limiting and do not require drugs. Paediatric experts at the meeting recommended against using these medications for children under five years and stressed careful clinical evaluation, dosage supervision, and avoiding multiple drug combinations for older children.
Drugs Control Officers were instructed to sensitize pharmacists against OTC sales without prescriptions, conduct regular sampling under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and impose penalties like license suspension for violations. Parents and caregivers were strongly advised to consult doctors or paediatricians before giving any cough or cold syrup to children, aiming to prevent misuse and protect child health across the Union Territory. This initiative follows concerns over child deaths linked to cough syrups in other parts of India, reinforcing the need for judicious prescribing and dispensing.
