Cough Medicines Fail the Test

I seem to be posting nothing but ‘negative’ results these days, pointing out that longstanding remedies aren’t really much help, and some of the newer approaches don’t stand up to rigorous testing. The latest group of products to take a hit are over-the-counter cough medicines designed to suppress a cough or to loosen it so as to help expectoration.

The American College of Chest Physicians has issued guidelines that state: “There is no clinical evidence that over-the-counter cough expectorants or suppressants actually relieve cough”. The two drugs targeted are the expectorant guaifenesin and the suppressant dextromethorphan. Rather than using these, which don’t treat the underlying cause of cough, adults should take a decongestant (Sudafed ® or pseudoephedrine) and/or an antihistamine (e.g. Benadryl ® or diphenhydramine).

The guidelines also recommend that adults younger than 65 should have the new adult pertussis (whooping-cough) vaccine; almost a third of whooping cough cases in the USA occur in adults.

Maybe chicken soup will do the trick? Many coughs are secondary to colds, and are likely to get better whatever you take. But Mom’s chicken soup tastes good and is very comforting, so you might as well give it the credit.