Following the conclusion of a review of post-marketing safety data by the MHRA, all pholcodine-containing medicines are being recalled from pharmacies, and withdrawn from sale in UK pharmacies as a precaution.
Advice for healthcare professionals
Stop supplying the above products immediately. Quarantine all remaining stock and return it to your supplier using your supplier’s approved process. This recall applies to all batches currently within shelf-life for the products listed.
Advice for patients
Based on advice from the independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), pholcodine-containing medicines are being withdrawn from UK pharmacies as a precaution. If you are taking a cough medicine (including tablets and syrups), check the packaging, label or Patient Information Leaflet to see if pholcodine is a listed ingredient – if it is, and you have any questions, you can talk to your pharmacist who can suggest a different medicine suitable for you.
Click to view full text on MHRA website