Union Health Ministry has advised that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children below two years.

In an advisory, the Ministry said, these are generally not recommended for children below five years, and above that, any use should follow careful clinical evaluation with close supervision.

The Ministry has written a letter to the Director of Health Services of all States and Union Territories in this regard. The advisory has been issued in view of child deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan that were linked to the consumption of cough syrups.

Union Health Ministry has said that the multidisciplinary team is continuing its analysis of samples and other factors to ascertain the cause of deaths reported in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Rajasth

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