Benchmarks
Nifty22,776.10220.35

FEATURED FUNDS★★★★★

Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct-Growth

5Y Return
19.73 %

Invest Now

Enter search text:

Business News›Industry›Healthcare/Biotech›Healthcare›Drug panel rejects child images on cough syrup labels, proposes age warning for use below 4 years

Read Today's Paper

Drug panel rejects child images on cough syrup labels, proposes age warning for use below 4 years
Synopsis

Cough syrup bottles will soon include a prominent red warning stating their use is not recommended for children under four. An expert committee rejected child-oriented imagery on labels, which could imply suitability for young children. This decision follows ongoing concerns about the safety of cough syrups in pediatric care. The proposed change aims to prevent confusion regarding age restrictions for these medications.

ET Bureau

New Delhi: An expert committee has rejected a proposal to allow pictures of infants, toddlers, toys or similar child-oriented imagery on cough syrup labels, saying such depictions could suggest that the medicines are meant for use in young children. Instead, it proposed to carry a prominent warning in red on cough syrup bottles, stating that they should not be used in children below four years of age, according to documents seen by ET.



The government is considering the recommendation and may soon amend the drugs rules to give effect to the labelling requirement proposed by the drugs consultative committee.



Also read: Cough syrup bottles may soon carry a warning label in 'red'

The DCC recently deliberated on the proposal that came from within the committee. It agreed in principle to introduce the statutory warning on age restriction under Rule 96 of the Drugs Rules, 1945, amid continued concerns over the prescription of cough syrups to infants and young children.



The warning proposed by the committee will read: "WARNING: Cough syrup shall not be used in children below 4 years of age." The warning must be displayed prominently in red and in an appropriately large font size on the label, it said.




The original proposal was that a pictorial depiction of school-age children could be included on the bottle labels to reinforce that the product was intended for older children and discourage its use below the specified age. The committee said such depictions could create confusion and proposed inclusion of the red warning instead. ET reported about the proposal in September.

The move comes amid continued concerns over the use of cough and cold medicines in paediatric care. A directorate general of health services (DGHS) advisory issued in October 2025 called for judicious prescription and dispensation of such medicines. It specifically advised against prescribing those drugs for children below two years of age.

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The .)

…moreless

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)


Read More News on
cough syrup labelscough syrup age restrictionschildren medication warningssyrup use in infantsexpert committee recommendationspaediatric cough medicinepediatric care advisoryIndian Council of Medical ResearchDrugs Rules 1945regulatory changes in drug labels

(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The .)

…moreless

Enter search text:

Continue reading with one of these options:
Limited Access
Free
Login to get access to some exclusive stories

& personalised newsletters
Login Now

Unlimited Access
Starting @ Rs120/month
Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

in-depth stock reports
Subscribe Now

ET

Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Login using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

Student Only Offer

Already a Member? Sign In now

Already a Member? Sign In now
Already a Member? Sign In now

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Special Offer

Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

Avail Offer
Avail Offer

Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

Need Assistance?

Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

+91 9484700004

' + h3 + '

' + h4 + '

' + listing + '

What’s Included with

ETPrime Membership

1Exclusive Insights That Matter

Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

Spot opportunities with
in-depth insights that matter

• 

  Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

  

  What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising

• 

  Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

  

  Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?

• 

  Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

  

  The problem with lab grown diamonds

• 

  Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

  

  A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year

2Invest Wisely With Smart Market Tools & Investment Ideas

Alpha Trade

Get daily trade ideas from SEBI-registered research analysts.

Investment Ideas

Grow your wealth with stock ideas & sectoral trends.

Stock Reports Plus

All-in-one stock research with Stock Score, peer comparison & key signals.

BigBull Portfolio

Get to know where the market bulls are investing to identify the right stocks.

Stock Analyzer

Check the score based on the company's fundamentals, solvency, growth, risk & ownership to decide the right stocks.

Market Mood

Analyze the market sentiments & identify the trend reversal for strategic decisions.

Stock Talk Live at 9 AM Daily

Ask your stock queries & get assured replies by ET appointed, SEBI registered experts.

3Stay informed anytime, anywhere with ET ePaper

ePaper – Print View

Read the PDF version of ET newspaper. Download & access it offline anytime.

ePaper – Digital View

Read your daily newspaper in Digital View & get it delivered to your inbox everyday.

Wealth Edition

Manage your money efficiently with this weekly money management guide.

4Times Of India Subscription (1 Year)

ePaper

Read the PDF version of newspaper. Download & access it offline anytime.

Deep Explainers

Explore the In-depth explanation of complex topics for everyday life decisions.

Health+ Stories

Get fitter with daily health insights committed to your well-being.

Personal Finance+ Stories

Manage your wealth better with in-depth insights & updates on finance.

5Enjoy Complimentary Subscriptions From Top Brands

Docubay Subscription

Stream new documentaries from all across the world every day.

Stories you might be interested in