A recent study revealed that codeine is not safe for children. U.S. pediatricians now warn the parents to stay away from the drug.
Codeine Is Not Safe
Joseph D. Tobias, Thomas P. Green and Charles J. Coté titled their study "Codeine: Time To Say No." Lead author Tobias said that there is never a reason to use codeine, according to Reuters. The doctor and his colleagues also that it has been linked to life-threatening or fatal respiratory problems. Children have been affected for more than a decade.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agreed that codeine doesn't always work. In fact, it sometimes causes serious or potentially fatal side effects. Despite this, it is still being prescribed for pain and coughs. This is disregarding the evidence of its danger.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have identified 24 codeine-related deaths. 21 of those who died were kids under 12. There are also 64 cases of severe slowed breathing rates.
Apparently, the young kids had received a combination of acetaminophen and codeine after surgery. Children would develop respiratory complications. It also affects those who have undiagnosed nighttime breathing problems. The risk is higher if the child is obese.
Codeine Does Not Work
AAP suggested that doctors should reconsider prescribing the drug to children. Codeine is not proven to be effective as an analgesic or an antitussive agent. It does not guarantee such treatment to a kid's cough or pain. The child may not even respond to it.
The study further explained that the liver metabolizes codeine into morphine. This is responsible for the analgesic effect. But there can be genetic differences in the hepatic enzyme CYP2D6's activity. The patient's response will depend on how much the morphine is.
If it's too little, the codeine will not work. Too much might cause unanticipated respiratory depression and death.
Codeine's Current Status
Codeine is still prescribed and available even without prescription in 28 states including the District of Columbia. The FDA had issued a "black box" warning in 2013, though. It cautioned doctors to not give codeine to kids.
Likewise, major children's hospitals have advised doctors to not prescribe the drug. This is according to Dr. Constance Houck of Boston Children's Hospital.
