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Vicks VapoRub harmful to toddlers, says study
New Delhi: Vicks VapoRub—India's most trusted over-thecounter remedy against cough and cold for over half a century—can cause harm if used on toddlers. American researchers on Tuesday warned parents against using the popular remedy on children under two years of age saying it could cause "serious respiratory distress''.
Researchers from Wake Forest University reported in Chest, the journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, that the mentholbased ointment causes a young child's airways to swell and fill with mucus, triggering severe breathing problems because of the small size of their nasal airways.
Officials from P&G told TOI that the product's label already advises against its use in children below two years. It also clearly states that the ointment should not be used inside the nostrils. 'Most parents unaware of risk as they don't see label'
New Delhi: US researchers have warned of the adverse effects of Vicks VapoRub on toddlers. Lead author of the Wake Forest University study Bruce Rubin said, "The ingredients in Vicks can be irritants, causing the body to produce more mucus. Infants have airways that are much narrower than those of adults, so any increase in mucus or inflammation can narrow them more severely.'' According to Rubin's study, in which he used ferrets which have airways similar to humans, exposure to Vicks increased mucus secretion in both normal and inflamed airways.
During the study, the researchers added a high dose of VapoRub to windpipes that had been removed from ferrets killed for other research. "Those windpipes secreted 63% more mucus than windpipe specimens that had not been incubated with VapoRub,'' Rubin reported.
Although the product label warns against use on toddlers, many parents continue to use it on their sick children below two years. Rubin said, "Most parents aren't aware of the risks as most people don't read the warning label.''
Sumeet Vohra, marketing director, P&G India, said, "Vicks VapoRub has a long-standing history of being safe and effective when used according to package directions. Its safety and efficacy has been demonstrated in multiple human clinical trials, including more than a thousand children between one month to 12 years." He added that a survey showed that seven out of 10 doctors trusted Vicks when they had a cold. About 60% of Indian families also took Vicks. VapoRub has about 5% of the Indian respiratory health market. TNN
Researchers from Wake Forest University reported in Chest, the journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, that the mentholbased ointment causes a young child's airways to swell and fill with mucus, triggering severe breathing problems because of the small size of their nasal airways.
Officials from P&G told TOI that the product's label already advises against its use in children below two years. It also clearly states that the ointment should not be used inside the nostrils. 'Most parents unaware of risk as they don't see label'
New Delhi: US researchers have warned of the adverse effects of Vicks VapoRub on toddlers. Lead author of the Wake Forest University study Bruce Rubin said, "The ingredients in Vicks can be irritants, causing the body to produce more mucus. Infants have airways that are much narrower than those of adults, so any increase in mucus or inflammation can narrow them more severely.'' According to Rubin's study, in which he used ferrets which have airways similar to humans, exposure to Vicks increased mucus secretion in both normal and inflamed airways.
During the study, the researchers added a high dose of VapoRub to windpipes that had been removed from ferrets killed for other research. "Those windpipes secreted 63% more mucus than windpipe specimens that had not been incubated with VapoRub,'' Rubin reported.
Although the product label warns against use on toddlers, many parents continue to use it on their sick children below two years. Rubin said, "Most parents aren't aware of the risks as most people don't read the warning label.''
Sumeet Vohra, marketing director, P&G India, said, "Vicks VapoRub has a long-standing history of being safe and effective when used according to package directions. Its safety and efficacy has been demonstrated in multiple human clinical trials, including more than a thousand children between one month to 12 years." He added that a survey showed that seven out of 10 doctors trusted Vicks when they had a cold. About 60% of Indian families also took Vicks. VapoRub has about 5% of the Indian respiratory health market. TNN
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