CHPA Statement on British Medical Journal Study on Cough Medicines

2/8/2002

From: Corinne Russell or Donna Edenhart, 202-429-9260 both of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association Web: www.chpa-info.org

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- The following is a statement from Consumer Healthcare Products Association Senior Vice President and Director of Science and Technology, R. William Soller, Ph.D., in response to publication of a University of Bristol (United Kingdom) review of randomized controlled trials of certain over-the-counter cough medicines for self-treatment of acute cough in adults:

"Over-the-counter (OTC) cough products have been available to American consumers for decades, providing millions of people with effective relief of the symptoms they are intended to treat. In approving these ingredients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given its stamp of approval, recognizing that qualified experts have found them safe and effective when used according to label directions. These products are not intended to cure underlying infections, but they do perform important functions in helping to relieve cough symptoms, helping consumers sleep and go about their daily lives in a productive fashion. The University of Bristol study is not new research. It is a review of selected trials that the authors found in medical literature. They did not find products sold in the United States to be ineffective. The authors themselves advise that their results should be 'interpreted with caution.'"

------ CHPA is the 121-year-old trade association representing U.S. manufacturers and distributors of nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and dietary supplement products.