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Beware Illegal Teething Medicine
Something about the word “illegal” would make me think twice (heck three or four times) before putting something in my kid’s mouth. But the NY Times ran a public health warning this week telling parents NOT to use a teething medicine already banned in the U.S.
Some people never learn. Monell’s Teething Cordial, also known as Cordial de Monell para la Dentición, hails from the Dominican Republic and is apparently popular with immigrants from that country. Only it’s been banned by the U.S. government and is sold illegally here in the states, including corner stores in NYC – which prompted that city’s public health warning.
Thanks to an infant poisoning, the Monell maker has instituted a voluntary recall – even working with the FDA here in the States. Yes, the FDA is working on a recall of a substance already illegal here in the states. I don’t get it either, but I’m going with it (and, in fairness, the FDA Website notes that the announcement is not an endorsement of the product).
Used to treat teething and colic, Monell contains potassium bromide – usually used as an anti-epileptic in dogs. Apparently it’s not so good for human babies, so unless your kids are barking during their human phase . . . please avoid.
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1 Comment
aaaaa commented on Jul 30 09 at 12:55 pmHmmmm…seems to me that people using the medicine probably don’t know all of this about it or they wouldn’t be giving it to their infants. I would guess that no one who saw the word “illegal” attached to a medicine would give it to their baby, so I’m going to assume that it is not a failure to learn but that the medicine does not carry a warning label that declares it dangerous or illegal.
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