The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released the findings of a survey showing that about 56 percent of children and teenagers believe that taking over-the-counter (OTC) cold and flu medication can help them prevent catching a cold.
The findings were based on a questionnaire answered by about 5,600 students aged between 12 and 18, which was designed to reveal their understanding of the uses of the medication.
In addition to the common misconception that taking OTC cold medicine can prevent colds, nearly 30 percent of the respondents said they did not take prescribed medicine according to their doctor’s or the pharmacist’s advice, with about 20 percent of respondents having taken two or more types of OTC cold medicine at the same time, the administration said.
The survey showed that the respondents who often failed to heed the instructions about correct the usage of medication are more likely to overuse or arbitrarily stop taking their medication, or neglect their health in other ways, the administration said.
The survey found that some young people took higher doses of medication than prescribed, believing it would help them get over their illness sooner, while some took less because they were afraid of side affects, FDA official Chi Jo-feng (祁若鳳) said.
However, arbitrarily adding other types of drugs or changing the doses of medication might pose health risks, and is not a recommended practice, Chi said, adding that OTC cold medication can only relieve symptoms, not prevent people from catching colds.
People should read the dosage guidelines that accompany medication, heed the advice of pharmacists and doctors over how to use cold medicines, and always keep in mind not to use too much of a single medication, combine different drugs, or mix alcohol with medicine, Chi said.
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