Aspirin Makers Agree to Labels Warning of Children’s Disease

Major aspirin manufacturers have agreed to use new labels urging consumers to consult doctors before giving aspirin to children with flu or chicken pox, Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret Heckler said today.

At least one manufacturer, Plough Inc., which makes St. Joseph aspirin for children, will put warning stickers on its products immediately. Some of the other label changes and warnings will be in place by early summer, in advance of next year’s flu season, Heckler said.

Heckler asked the aspirin makers for the warning labels Jan. 9, citing a possible link to a rare but deadly children’s disease, Reye syndrome. She cited a new Centers for Disease Control study saying that children given aspirin for flu or chicken pox may be far more likely to get Reye syndrome than children not given aspirin.

Heckler said the manufacturers also agreed to a program of television announcements and store posters, which will be distributed next week. At least one chain, Giant Foods, plans to have posters in place Thursday, she said.

The labels contain the following wording: “Consult a physician before giving this medicine to children, including teen-agers, with chicken pox or flu.”

The store posters and public service announcements will say the cause of Reye syndrome is not known, but “some studies suggest a possible association” to aspirin products and “it is prudent to consult a doctor” before giving aspirin to children or teen-agers.