Cough syrups not recommended for children below two, warns Health Ministry
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By Mansoor Peer
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04 Oct 2025
Srinagar, Oct 04: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has issued an advisory cautioning that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children below two years of age.
The ministry has emphasized that such medicines are generally not recommended for children under five and, when used in older children, must be administered only after proper clinical evaluation and under strict medical supervision.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued an advisory to all States and Union Territories on the rational use of cough syrups in paediatric population, following consumption-related deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
“In our continuous efforts to ensure rational drug use and patient safety in paediatric care, this advisory reiterates the judicious prescribing and dispensing of cough syrups for children,” the ministry said.
As per the advisory, most acute cough illnesses in children are self-limiting and often resolve without pharmacological intervention.
The health ministry said cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children under two years.
“These are generally not recommended for ages below 5 years and above that, any use should follow careful clinical evaluation with close supervision and strict adherence to appropriate dosing, the shortest effective duration and avoiding multiple drugs combinations,” it said.
The ministry further said that the public may also be sensitized regarding adherence to prescription by the doctors adding that the non-pharmacological measures, including adequate hydration, rest, supportive measures should be the first-line approach.
The health ministry said that all healthcare facilities and clinical establishments must ensure procurement and dispensing of products manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practices and formulated with pharmaceutical-grade excipients.
The advisory said that sensitization of prescribers and dispensers across public and private sectors is essential to uphold these standards of care.
The ministry asked all State/UT Health Departments, District Health Authorities, and all Clinical Establishments/healthcare facilities in their jurisdictions should implement and disseminate this advisory across government dispensaries, PHCs, CHCs, district hospitals, and medical institutions.
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