The maker of Robitussin cough syrup is recalling several lots of products containing honey due to contamination that could pose a serious risk to people with weakened immune systems.
Haleon’s recall covers eight lots of Robitussin Honey CF Max Day Adult and Robitussin Honey CF Max Nighttime Adult, which were distributed to stores and pharmacy suppliers. The Food and Drug Administration posted the company’s announcement to its website Wednesday.
The products may contain dangerously high levels of yeast, the company said in an emailed message Thursday. Yeast is a natural component of honey, but the levels detected by the company were “beyond allowed measurements,” Haleon said.
Ingestion of the contaminated syrup could result in severe fungal infections that would be potentially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients or those with HIV. Several million people in the U.S. have conditions that impair the immune system’s ability to fight off infections.
Honey isn’t homeopathic, and it has been shown to help soothe sore throat and cough in children. Since the other ingredients like guaifenesin are bitter and you have to sweeten it anyway, why not use honey? Or put it another way, if you’re giving them honey for their throat, why not mix in an expectorant (guaifenesin) to help clear their chest mucus as well? Especially since the non-meth Sudafed has been proven ineffective and the real stuff can make kids loopy.
Oh, I am not saying there aren’t benefits to honey. It’s just been front and center on homeopathic stuff for a long time. All it likely contains, in any measurable dose, is honey. Sugar is an excellent tool for many conditions, especially when you need a distraction from mild pain. Just sugar water itself will help a cough in some case, according to some sources.
I have no problems with a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down, in any case. I am not saying the Robitussin is homeopathic, either. I am just saying that it may be deceptive it it’s own, special way. Maybe even a sarcastic jab, to go a bit further.
It’s stuff like this I am referring to: https://www.cvs.com/shop/boiron-chestal-adult-honey-homeopathic-medicine-for-cough-chest-congestion-relief-6-7-oz-prodid-378752 . That stuff starts to eliminate any logic by mixing in healthy doses of magic, which I am absolutely against. (That particular link I referenced seems to use much higher “doses” than I have seen in the past. 3C or a 1:100 x 3 dilution is pure insanity!)