Newtown Square, Pa., Oct. 2, 2008—Last cough, cold and flu season, a panel of health experts assembled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was “uncomfortable” with the risks of decongestants, antihistamines and cough suppressants proportional to the estimated benefits for children based on using a fraction of doses shown to relieve symptoms in adults. To help parents who are still wondering how to ease their children’s winter woes, Boiron, world leader in homeopathic medicine, has created Children’s Oscillococcinum^® for flu-like symptoms and Children’s Coldcalm^® Pellets for colds. Parents will be able to more easily find these safe and reliable over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in the children’s aisle along with Boiron’s established Children’s Chestal^® for coughs.

These homeopathic cough, cold and flu medicines do not contain any of the ingredients under question for use in youngsters. Their active ingredients are micro-doses of natural ingredients. Since homeopathic medicines are not body-mass dependent, there’s no need to give more or less medicine depending on body weight. There’s no risk of overdose, nor are there reported side effects such as making children jittery or drowsy. In general, homeopathic medicine is considered one of the safest choices for self-treatment. These medicines do not interact with other medications, herbs or supplements. Nor do they “mask” symptoms that may indicate a more serious condition.

“They work in a different way,” says the Los Angeles-based Lauren Feder, M.D., and author of Natural Baby and Childcare (Hatherleigh Press, 2006). “The principle is that the body knows what to do best for itself. Rather than suppressing symptoms, these medicines work with the body by sending it a signal to help rebalance itself and heal. For example, a cough suppressant works against the body, but a homeopathic cough syrup like Children’s Chestal acts as an expectorant.”

Dr. Feder, whose general practice consists primarily of children, says, it is not dangerous to combine homeopathic medicines with other substances in case parents decided to administer a cold medicine on top of cough syrup.”

“We created special packaging for Children’s Oscillococcinum and Children’s Coldcalm Pellets to make it easier for parents find these safe choices. Now both products will be located in the children’s cough/cold/flu section and the packaging highlights important product benefits that will help parents treat their children’s symptoms—messages like ‘safe, no side effects, great taste, and easy to take,’” said John Durkin, Boiron’s vice president, sales and marketing. “We’ve also modify the delivery method of our regular Coldcalm^® tablets so the children’s version of it and Oscillococcinum^® come in sweet-tasting kid-friendly pellets.”

• New for flu-like symptoms in children: Supported by clinical studies^1-4 and a long history of safety, Oscillococcinum has helped 2 to 102 year olds reduce both the severity and duration of flu-like symptoms for 65 years in France and 25 years in the U.S. Now parents will more easily find this formula, which has no reported side effects, in the children’s aisle as Children’s Oscillococcinum. The new packaging highlights its sweet-tasting, kid-friendly pellets that dissolve quickly under the tongue. No water, chewing or swallowing is required. Each dose is packaged individually in a compact and portable plastic tube, making it convenient to take on the go and easy to keep handy. Oscillo works best when taken at the first sign of flu, and because Oscillo is safe, there is no reason to hesitate taking it to help prevent symptoms from getting worse.

• New for cold symptoms in children: While many cold medicines treat only a symptom or two, Children’s Coldcalm Pellets is a complete multi-symptom cold reliever for sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion and minor sore throat pain. It works naturally without causing side effects, overdosing or interactions with other medications. There’s no rebound effect and it is non-habit-forming. Safe for children 3 years of age and older, Children’s Coldcalm Pellets uses the same trusted homeopathic formula in Coldcalm tablets, but in kid-friendly, tasty melt-away pellets. The new packaging contains two multi-dose plastic, portable and shatter-proof dispensers, each with approximately 80 pellets to be taken five at a time. 

• For children’s cough: Boiron has simplified the process of choosing a cough medicine by creating a multi-cough formula to relieve all types of coughs due to minor throat and bronchial irritation that may occur with a cold including dry, wet, whooping, night and day coughs. Children’s Chestal works naturally to loosen phlegm and thin bronchial secretions to make coughs more productive. Additionally this homeopathic cough syrup uses the natural goodness of honey as a base to soothe the throat. Filtered and pasteurized to ensure its safety, the sweet honey also makes the syrup a pleasure to take. Free of artificial colors and flavors and PPA, Children's Chestal is 99.9% alcohol-free. Best of all, this non-habit-forming medicine is safe for children 2 years of age and older.

All Boiron products are regulated as drugs by the FDA⁵ and are clearly labeled for specific indications, making directions easy for parents to understand. They are manufactured according to the highest standards, complying with drug Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS).

Parents can quickly and affordably pick up these OTC medicines without a prescription in the children’s aisle or in the cough, cold and flu section of health food stores and independent pharmacies nationwide starting in October 2008.

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References

¹ Papp R., et al. “Oscillococcinum® in patients with influenza-like syndromes: a placebo-controlled double blind evaluation.” British Homeopathy Journal April 1998, Vol 87, 69–76.
² Ferley JP., et al. “A controlled evaluation of a homeopathic preparation in the treatment of influenza-like syndromes.” British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 1989, 27: 328–335.
³ Centre de Recherche et de Documentation Technique, University of Marseilles, France.
⁴ Centre de Recherche et de Documentation Technique, University of Marseilles, France.
⁵ U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sec 400.400 Conditions Under Which Homeopathic Drugs May be Marketed (CPG7132.15). Available at: www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgdrg/cpg400-400.html.