Dr Hilary has explained what people should do as several cough, cold and flu medicines have been taken off shelves in UK pharmacies. A review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has meant all medicines that contain an ingredient called pholcodine are currently being withdrawn.
Twenty medicines in total are being pulled from shelves, including common over-the-counter products such as Day and Night Nurse, and Covonia. Experts have made the decision following a review over the "very rare" risk of people experiencing an allergic reaction due to pholcodine when combined with general anaesthetic.
A statement on the official government website reads: "There is evidence that using pholcodine-containing medicines leads to an increased risk of the very rare event of an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) in patients who receive general anaesthesia involving neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) during surgery
