The Nation - News from April 18, 1989

A drug commonly prescribed for sedation and relief of cold symptoms is linked to sudden infant death syndrome and should not be sold without a prescription, a public interest research group said. Public Citizen Health Research Group urged the Food and Drug Administration to reverse its decision allowing over-the-counter sales of the drug known by the trade name Phenergan. The group filed a petition with the FDA four months ago to block over-the-counter sales. FDA spokeswoman Susan Cruzan said the group’s petition is under review. The drug is manufactured by Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories. Company spokeswoman Audrey Ashby said that “in their 35 years of marketing, these syrups have been remarkably problem-free.”