Combination of Motrin and Robitussin drugs is safe for adults and children

A viral e-mail currently making the rounds between private accounts and public message boards warning of a danger posed by mixing over-the-counter medications Motrin and Robitussin is unfounded.

While no child younger than age four should be given cough and cold medicines, the Food and Drug Administration has approved combination drugs that mix ibuprofen (the active ingredient in Motrin) and dextromethorphan and/or pseudoephedrine (the active ingredients in Robitussin medications) for older children and adults. There is no evidence to suggest that ibuprofen, dextromethorphan or pseudoephedrine can cause heart attacks in otherwise healthy children or adults when combined.

Of course, all medications can have side effects, and parents of children with underlying medical conditions must always be vigilant about the medications their child is taking. When in doubt, parents should consult their child’s healthcare provider or a pharmacist before mixing over-the-counter medications.

About the e-mail

The e-mail falsely suggests a female patient (usually named Madison or Madeline) died from cardiac arrest after her parents gave her a combination of Motrin and Robitussin. Different versions of the e-mail have been circulating the Internet for more than a year.

In 2009, a Children’s employee received the e-mail from a friend and inadvertently forwarded it from a work account. Because the employee’s professional signature was included at the bottom of the e-mail, the information appeared to come from a reliable source at Children’s Medical Center. This is not the case.

Parents should always check sources of information they receive on the Internet when making decisions about their children’s health, even if it means consulting a doctor. The best place for information from the pediatric specialists at Children’s Medical Center is our official Web site, childrens.com.

Source:

Children’s Medical Center

Comments

  1. Allen Bassham Allen Bassham United States says:

    Thought people should know....

  2. Peace Arnold Peace Arnold United States says:

    Unfortunately, FDA approval is not what it once was... too much industry influence in the FDA in recent decades. Same as with legislative bodies.. too much industry influence. I hope this is corrected asap

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
Post a new comment
Post

While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.

Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.

Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Read the full Terms & Conditions.

You might also like...
Children's Colorado earns prestigious cardiomyopathy recognition