Efferalgan “capuccino”, Fervex “raspberry” or Smecta “strawberry”, medications flavorings call out. Socialist deputy Michèle Delaunay alerted the Minister of Health, Marisol Touraine, to the risks of these substances, by means of a press release made public on the Twitter network.
A mouthwatering taste can lead to overuse of medication
For several months, these flavored drugs have been sold without a prescription to children and adults. The danger: turning drugs into consumer products. “While it may be relevant to give a pleasant flavor to young children in order to be able to treat them, it is on the other hand undesirable for medicines for older children and adults to become a consumer product with a choice of tastes. and innovative and ‘à la carte’ flavors “, writes the deputy in her press release dated August 15, 2016. A tempting taste may indeed encourage consumption or even overconsumption of these products which, like any medicinal substance, are not devoid ofside effects, in particular in terms of toxicity for the liver.
Stop the development of these “seductive” drugs
Michèle Delaunay therefore asks the pharmaceutical industries to stop developing products “whose sole purpose is to attract consumers beyond the sole therapeutic effect“. The member advocates a framework and strict regulation of these practices, and the presence of a warning reminding the importance of respecting the dosage on the packaging of these products.
Today I am alerting the Minister of Health on the development of flavored medicines @Solwii@afpfr@icasterapic.twitter.com/HY1kWUT2wC
– Michèle Delaunay (@micheledelaunay) August 16, 2016
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