OTC industry homogenizes concentration of APAP liquids for kids

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Healthcare Products Association on Wednesday announced plans to convert liquid pediatric acetaminophen products to just one concentration.

This voluntary change means the current children’s strength of liquid acetaminophen (160 mg/5 mL) will become the only liquid concentration available for all children younger than 12 years, and the current concentrated infant drops no longer will be sold.

“CHPA member companies are voluntarily making this conversion to one concentration to help make it easier for parents and caregivers to appropriately use single-ingredient liquid acetaminophen,” stated CHPA president and CEO Scott Melville. “We are committed to providing parents and caregivers with the tools and information they need to help give their children the right amount of these medicines.“

CHPA and its members will be working to ensure healthcare providers have the information they need to help answer parents’ questions about the change. During the transition, the makers of these medicines also will work with retailers to ensure that, as the new medicines are introduced, the more concentrated infant drops will be removed from store shelves.

The single-concentration liquid medicines will have additional enhancements to their age-appropriate dosing devices. Specifically, infants’ products will have syringes for more accurate dosing and flow restrictors. Children’s products, for kids ages 2 years to younger than 12 years, will continue to offer dosing cups.

APAP is the most commonly used children’s medicine for relieving pain and reducing fever, according to the CHPA. The transition will begin in mid-2011.