Efficacy
The efficacy of cough medication is questionable, particularly in children. A 2008 Cochrane review concluded that "There is no good evidence for or against the effectiveness of OTC medicines in acute cough". In 2001, a meta-analysis indicated that some cough medicines may be no more effective than placebos for acute coughs in adults, including coughs related to upper respiratory tract infections. In 2006, the American College of Chest Physicians published a guideline for whooping cough, a cough that is caused by bacteria and can last for months. The guideline pointed out that available cough medicines are not designed to treat whooping cough or its causative bacterium. Although the efficacy is inconclusive for children over 2 years of age, a number of factors including accidental overdoses and well-documented adverse effects suggested caution in the pediatric prescription of cough syrups and medicines. No over the counter cough medicines have been found to be effective in cases of pneumonia.
Read more about this topic: Cough Medicine
Famous quotes containing the word efficacy:
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