Harvard Health Letter

Harvard Health Letter reports many cough medications ineffective

Published in Lab Law Weekly, May 19th, 2006

Americans spend $3.5 billion annually on over-the-counter cough remedies. Guidelines released by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) earlier this year indicate that many of the "active" ingredients in cough remedies may be ineffective, according to the Harvard Health Letter.

There are many nonprescription cough medicines, but most contain the same types of active ingredients in a limited number of strengths and combinations. Here are the four main ones:

- Expectorants work by thinning mucus. Studies of their effectiveness vary, and the ACCP "cough committee" didn't endorse them.

- Suppressants work by dampening...

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Source: Lab Law Weekly (2006-05-19)

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