Product News and Recalls

FDA warns of children sickened from eyedrops, nasal sprays

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that the potentially dangerous eye drops and decongestants – including a wide range of brand-name and generic varieties – don’t come in child-resistant packages, and can sicken children.

The medicines in both types of product cause blood vessels to constrict. While harmless when used as directed, less than a fifth of a teaspoon can send children to the hospital, or even put them in a coma.

And according to a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission briefing paper, can occur in as little as one hour.

Parents who don’t realize the risk often leave the products within reach of children. The CPSC says that from 1997 through 2009, eye drops injured more than 4,500 children under the age of 5 and nasal sprays injured more than 1,100.

The injury reports show that children can easily open the products, because they generally do not have child safety caps.

If your child was hospitalized after accidentally ingesting eye drops or nasal spray, contact Lopez McHugh for a free case evaluation, or if you have any questions.