Twenty cold and flu medicines have been pulled from shelves over concerns they could trigger a deadly reaction.
The UK’s medicines watchdog found that the potential risk of taking medicines containing pholcodine outweighs the benefits.
Patients who take the drug within 12 months of being put under general anaesthetic are at an increased risk of suffering anaphylaxis — a deadly reaction.
MailOnline has rounded up all the remedies that will be swept from shelves.
Boots Night Cough Relief Oral Solution
Boots Night Cough Relief Oral Solution
PL Number: PL 00014/0230
Active ingredients: Each 20ml of oral solution contains Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride 50 mg, Pholcodine 15 mg.
Also contains: purified water, liquid sugar (sucrose), glycerol (E422), ethanol (4.8 vol %), sodium citrate, citric acid, sodium benzoate (E211), hyetellose, quinoline yellow (E104), patent blue V (E131), flavours (grenadine, containing propylene glycol).
Boots Dry Cough Syrup 6 Years+
![Boots Dry Cough Syrup 6 Years+](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/15/68690363-11858841-image-a-3_1678806223543.jpg)
Boots Dry Cough Syrup 6 Years+
PL Number: PL 00014/0523
Active ingredients: Each 5 ml of syrup contains Pholcodine 2 mg
Also contains: purified water, maltitol liquid (E965), glycerol (E422), citric acid, sodium citrate, hyetellose, sodium benzoate (E211), acesulfame potassium, flavours (blackcurrant, vanilla).
Boots Day Cold & Flu Relief Oral Solution
![Boots Day Cold & Flu Relief Oral Solution](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/15/68690359-11858841-image-a-4_1678806316623.jpg)
Boots Day Cold & Flu Relief Oral Solution
PL Number: PL 00014/0565
Active ingredients: Each 30 ml of oral solution contains Paracetamol 1000 mg, Pholcodine 10 mg, Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride 60 mg
Also contains: glycerol (E422), liquid sugar (sucrose), propylene glycol, purified water, liquid glucose, ethanol (4.8 vol %), citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (E211), acesulfame potassium, riboflavin sodium phosphate (E101), flavours (peach, pear drop, lime, levomenthol)
Cofsed Linctus
PL Number: PL 00240/0097
Active ingredients: Each 5ml contains Pholcodine monohydrate 5mg, Ephedrine Hydrochloride 8mg, Chlorphenamine Maleate 2mg
Also contains: 76.8mg Ethanol, 250mg Invert Sugar (containing 125mg Fructose and 125mg Glucose), 8.9g Sucrose, 8.65mg Parahydroxybenzoates
Care Pholcodine 5mg/5ml Oral Solution Sugar Free
![Care Pholcodine 5mg/5ml Oral Solution Sugar Free](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/16/68690411-11858841-Care_Pholcodine_5mg_5ml_Oral_Solution_Sugar_Free-a-30_1678809663346.jpg)
![Galenphol Paediatric Linctus](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/16/68690499-11858841-Galenphol_Paediatric_Linctus-m-29_1678809659963.jpg)
Care Pholcodine 5mg/5ml Oral Solution Sugar Free (left) and Galenphol Paediatric Linctus (right)
PL Number: PL 00240/0101
Active ingredient: Each 5ml contains pholcodine monohydrate 5mg
Also contains: Ethanol, sodium parahydroxybenzoates (E215, E217, E219), amaranth dye (E123). Alcohol 1.2 vol%
Galenphol Linctus
PL Number: PL 00240/0101
Active ingredient: Pholcodine monohydrate 5.0mg/5ml
Also contains: per 5ml dose: 5.625 Sodium Methyl Parahydroxybenzoate, 0.75mg Sodium Propyl Parahydroxybenzoate, 1.125mg Sodium Ethyl Parahydroxybenzoate, 48mg Ethanol, 0.25mg Amaranth Dye
Galenphol Paediatric Linctus
PL Number: PL 00240/0102
Active ingredient: Pholcodine monohydrate 2.0mg per 5ml
Also contains: Per 10ml dose: 96mg Ethanol, 11.25mg Sodium Methyl, Parahydroxybenzoate, 1.5mg Sodium Propyl Parahydroxybenzoate, 2.25mg Sodium Ethyl Parahydroxybenzoate, 0.25mg Sunset Yellow Dye
Galenphol Strong Linctus
PL Number: PL 00240/0103
Active ingredient: Pholcodine monohydrate BP 10.0mg (Per 5ml Dose)
Also contains: Per 5ml dose: 77mg Ethanol, 5.625mg Sodium Methyl Parahydroxybenzoate, 1.125mg Sodium Ethyl Parahydroxybenzoate, 0.75mg Sodium Propyl Parahydroxybenzoate, 0.1mg Amaranth Dye, 0.5mg Sunset Yellow Dye
Covonia Dry Cough Sugar Free Formula
![Covonia Dry Cough Sugar Free Formula](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/15/68690757-11858841-image-a-12_1678806998712.jpg)
Covonia Dry Cough Sugar Free Formula
PL Number: PL 00240/0353
Active ingredient: Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml
Also contains: Citric acid monohydrate (E330), Sodium methyl, Ethyl, Propyl parahydroxybenzoates (E215, E217, E219), Glycerol (E422), Saccharin sodium, Xanthan gum (E415), Caramel (E150), Cough mixture flavour (contains Propylene glycol), and Purified water
Pholcodine Linctus Bells Healthcare 5mg Per 5ml Oral Solution
![Pholcodine Linctus Bells Healthcare 5mg Per 5ml Oral Solution](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/15/68690461-11858841-image-a-10_1678806946806.jpg)
Pholcodine Linctus Bells Healthcare 5mg Per 5ml Oral Solution
PL Number: PL 03105/0059
Active ingredient: Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml
Also contains: Sucrose, Ethanol, E123, E219 and E110
Numark Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution
![Numark Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/15/68690433-11858841-image-a-7_1678806867077.jpg)
Numark Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution
PL Number: PL 03105/0059
Active ingredient: Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml
Also contains: Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml, Sucrose, Ethanol, Chloroform, Glycerol E422, Citric Acid E330, Amaranth E123, Sunset Yellow E110, Methylhydroxybenzoate E219, Quinoline Yellow E104 and Purified Water
Well Pharmaceuticals Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution
PL Number: PL 03105/0059
Active ingredient: Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml
Also contains: Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml, Sucrose, Ethanol, Chloroform, Glycerol E422, Citric Acid E330, Amaranth E123, Sunset Yellow E110, Methylhydroxybenzoate E219, Quinoline Yellow E104 and Purified Water
Superdrug Pholcodine Linctus BP
![Superdrug Pholcodine Linctus BP](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/15/68690439-11858841-image-a-8_1678806894787.jpg)
Superdrug Pholcodine Linctus BP
PL Number: PL 03105/0059
Active ingredient: Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml
Also contains: Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml, Sucrose, Ethanol, Chloroform, Glycerol E422, Citric Acid E330, Amaranth E123, Sunset Yellow E110, Methylhydroxybenzoate E219, Quinoline Yellow E104 and Purified Water
Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP
![Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/15/68690451-11858841-image-a-13_1678807985894.jpg)
Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP
PL Number: PL 03105/0060
Active ingredient: Each 5ml contains Pholcodine BP 10mg
Also contains: Ethanol 59.21 mg/5 ml, Maltitol liquid 1000 mg/5 ml, Sodium benzoate (E211) 6 mg/5 ml, Sodium 2.94 mg/5 ml
Pholcodine Linctus BP
![Pholcodine Linctus BP](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/15/68692855-11858841-image-a-14_1678808321218.jpg)
Pholcodine Linctus BP
PL Number: PL 04917/0002
Active ingredient: 5 mg of the active Pholcodine BP
Also contains: Sunset yellow (E110) and sorbitol (E420)
Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP
PL Number: PL 04917/0005
Active ingredient: Pholcodine BP 10 mg/5 ml
Also contains: Citric acid monohydrate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, glycerol, sodium benzoate (E211), saccharin sodium, hydrogenated glucose syrup (E965), ethanol, raspberry/cola flavour and purified water
Pholcodine Linctus
PL Number: PL 12965/0030
Active ingredient: Pholcodine monohydrate 5.0mg/5ml
Also contains: Per 5ml dose: 4g Sucrose, 270mg Ethanol, 0.0525mg Amaranth Dye, 0.0525mg Sunset Yellow Dye
Day & Night Nurse Capsules
![Day & Night Nurse Capsules](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/14/15/68690313-11858841-image-a-6_1678806833175.jpg)
Day & Night Nurse Capsules
PL Number: PL 44673/0068
Day capsules active ingredient: Per capsule: Paracetamol 500mg, Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride 30mg, Pholcodine 5mg
Night capsules active ingredient: Per capsule: Paracetamol 500mg, Promethazine hydrochloride 10mg, Dextromethorphan hydrobromide 7.5mg
Day Nurse Capsules
PL Number: PL 44673/0069
Active ingredient: Per capsule: Paracetamol 500mg, Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride 30mg, Pholcodine 5mg
Day Nurse
PL Number: PL 44673/0075
Active ingredient: Per 30ml: Paracetamol 500mg, Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride 30mg, Pholcodine 5mg
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk