Mother Files Lawsuit Alleging Death of Child Resulted from Taking Over-the-Counter Children's Cough Medicine

Amy Rothschild

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An Illinois woman whose child died after taking children's cough medicines filed a lawsuit Wednesday, November 14, 2007, alleging that drug makers should have warned of the medicines' dangers sooner. The lawsuit names Walgreen Co. and McNeil, a unit of Johnson & Johnson. Experts testified before the Food and Drug Administration last month that the medicines posed a major health threat to children under age 6.

The child's mother administered Infant McNeil-PPC, Inc.'s Tylenol Cold Decongestant Plus Cough and Walgreen-brand Pediatric Drops-Cough Plus Cold, according to the lawsuit. Both contain dextromethorphan. A coroner's report says that the child died of dextromethorphan intoxication, with tests showing his system metabolized the ingredient slowly, allowing it to build up to toxic levels, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that claiming the companies knew the hazards of dextromethorphan for years but failed to warn consumers.