Poll indicates that majority of parents administer cough-cold medicine to children

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. Parents have not abandoned the pediatric cough/cold category.

A new survey conducted in March 2009 by Harris Interactive found that, while 90% of parents are aware of the safety and efficacy questions that have been raised around kids’ cough-cold medicines, 62% still give these products to children when they are experiencing cough-and-cold symptoms. Additionally, 16% of the general public aren’t dialed into the safety and efficacy debate around OTC cough-and-cold products for children.

The survey found that 70% of consumers overall get their health-related news from media and the Internet — including 73% of parents. Less than half of parents, 41%, reported  that they first heard about OTC cough-cold debate from a doctor.

The Harris Interactive Poll was commissioned by Bionorica, a company marketing a an alternative kids cough-cold medicines with a dietary supplement, Sinupret for Kids, that helps boost a child’s immune system.