The editorial staff of Taglines has been suffering these last few weeks with severe colds. Not just winter sniffles, but full blown coughing, sneezing and wheezing colds. A cold is not something to bother the doctor with so one resorts to non-prescribed remedies. If we had taken all the advice given by friends and neighbours we would have spent time dosing with herbal remedies, all laced liberally with whisky.
But generally we went for paracetamol and powders and potions from the pharmacy. As one friend said "you spend a week either taking medicines or doing nothing, then you get better." Now a study by the French consumer group 60 million de consommateurs suggests that 45% of over the counter remedies do as much harm as good and are probably ineffective.
Part of the problem stems from the Ministry of Health banning the use of codeine without prescription, meaning remedies which were reasonably effective have been replaced with less useful drugs.
The following items are considered to present bigger risk than benefit
Colds. Actifed Rhume, Actifed Rhume Jour & Nuit, Dolirhume Paracétamol et Pseudoéphédrine, Nurofen Rhume, Rhinadvil Rhume ibuprofène/pseudoéphédrine, HumexLib paracétamol chlorphénamine.
Coughs. Bronchokod sans sucre toux grasse adultes, Exomuc toux grasse orange, Fluimucil expectorant sans sucre orange, Humex toux sèche oxomémazine sans sucre, Mucomyst toux grasse orange, Toplexil sans sucre.
Sore throat. Angi-spray mal de gorge, Colludol, Drill, Drill miel rosat, Hexaspray, Humex mal de gorge lidocaïne-benzalkonium, Strefen sans sucre, Strepsils lidocaïne, Strepsils miel citron.
Flu. Actifed états grippaux, Doli état grippal, Fervex état grippal.
Diahorrea. Ercéfuryl.
Constipation. Dulcolax, Pursennide.
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