OXFORD, England — Health care research nonprofit organization the Cochrane Collaboration here released a mostly positive review of existing data on the efficacy of oral over-the-counter cough medicines yesterday. While this review includes a limited number of OTC medicines available in the U.S., the majority of studies show statistically significant improvement in adult populations, the collaboration said. "Consumers should continue to remain confident that their OTC cough remedies provide the same symptomatic relief as in past cold seasons," explained Dr. Heinz Schneider, vice president, regulatory & scientific affairs, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, Washington." As for children’s OTC medications, Schneider said, “CHPA has presented positive efficacy data in adults to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has already begun to work with experts and FDA on methodologies for further research on the effects of medicines on common cold symptoms in children." According to a recent CHPA survey, 89% of adults, parents and caregivers said the OTC cough remedies they used effectively helped them or the child in their household cough less, Schneider added.

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