Secretary, Health & Medical Education, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah today advised for using rational medication in children. He said this while chairing a meeting at Civil Secretariat, here. The meeting was attended by Commissioner, Food & Drugs Administration, J&K, Smita Sethi, along with the Heads of Departments of Paediatrics from all Government Medical Colleges of Jammu and Kashmir and officers from the Divisional and District levels of the Drugs Control Organisation, J&K.
The meeting was held in the context of a recent communication issued by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, which advises that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children below two years of age.
During the meeting, Abid Rasheed emphasized the urgent need to promote rational drug use and ensure patient safety in paediatric care across Jammu and Kashmir. He directed all medical professionals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and regulatory authorities to strictly comply with national guidelines and best practices.
Secretary Health stressed upon the strict adherence to the advisory and during the discussion, the HODs of the Paediatrics department stated that such medications are generally not recommended for children below five years, and that for older children, their use should be based on careful clinical evaluation, close supervision, and strict adherence to dosage guidelines, while avoiding multiple drug combinations.
The advisory issued by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) has also underscored the importance of judicious prescribing and dispensing of cough syrups for children, emphasizing that most acute cough illnesses in children are self-limiting and resolve without pharmacological intervention.
At the outset, Pharmaceutical manufacturers in J&K were instructed to adhere strictly to WHO-GMP standards, carry out complete impurity profiling as per the latest pharmacopeial standards. Drugs Control Officers were asked to sensitize chemists and pharmacists against the over-the-counter (OTC) sale of cough and cold syrups without proper prescription and to conduct regular sampling and testing of such products under Section 23 of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940, to ensure their safety and quality.
They were cautioned that any violation of these provisions will invite strict penal action, including suspension or cancellation of licenses under Rule 66 of the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules. The general public is strongly advised to refrain from self-medicating children and to always consult Doctors/ Paediatricians, before administering any cough or cold syrup to them.
Secretary further directed all field officers and medical institutions to ensure strict enforcement of these guidelines across the Union Territory to protect child health, prevent misuse of medications, and promote rational and evidence-based paediatric care.