Although it is unknown at this time if other countries will follow suit, the Agence française de sécurité sanitaire (French Health Safety Agency) has just banned Hélicidine and thirty mucolytic drugs and oral mucofluidifiants for children under two years.
This decision follows several documented complications on the worsening of bronchial congestion.
This type of medication is prescribed to liquefy the secretions caused by coughing, but it instead may cause congestion of the lungs.
The decision will be looked at again on July 1 but until then, the French agency is asking pharmacists to fully inform parents of the risks involved with mucolytics, mucofluidifiants and Hélicidine.
Meanwhile, the drugs Exomuc, Mucomyst and Fluimucil are completely taken off the market. These were used to treat babies.
The agency is currently evaluating all medicines for cough and bronchial secretions disorders for babies. The results will not be fully known until September.