Why cough medicines containing pholcodine can be deadly even if you took them months before surgery
Australia’s medicines regulator recently announced the immediate registration cancellation and recall of dozens of over-the-counter cough medicines and lozenges containing the active ingredient pholcodine.
This is because of the risk of a sudden, severe and life-threatening allergic reaction if people are also given specific muscle relaxant drugs while under a general anaesthetic.
Pholcodine is a common ingredient in many over-the-counter medicines used to treat a dry cough. These include cough syrups and lozenges. Common brands that contain this ingredient include Benadryl, Bisolvon, Codral, Difflam, Difflam Plus and Duro-Tuss.
