Interesting how these days both reportage of and spin on news stories hits internet media before the actual story itself...

Case in point: At least nearly 500 stories on an advisory that as of 11 a.m. EST was yet to be made regarding the safety of cough and cold medicines for infants.

The specifics and accompanying multi-volume report have yet to be released, but according to DogFlu.ca ("the dog health & human health information site"), US government officials were "set to announce was "that children under the age of 2 should not be given over the counter cough and cold medicines due to risks associated with them."

(MPR is no doctor, but as a father, this seemed pretty obvious.)

Meanwhile, organizations and companies everywhere are scrambling to perform the lovely ritual of pre-emptive damage control.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association, an organization with some 170 members active and associate including heavy hitters like Colgate-Palmolive Company, Bayer HealthCare LLC, and The Procter & Gamble Company to name a very few and thus would seem to represent a consortium looking to lose a few bucks after this announcement, was good to point out that everything's fine with over-the-counter medicine.

"On behalf of the leading makers of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines," opened the association's official statement, "the Consumer Healthcare Products Association offered its support for today's U.S. Food and Drug Administration decision against the use of oral OTC cough and cold medicines in children under the age of two.

"The agency's recommendation reaffirms the October 2007 action by the leading makers of pediatric OTC medicines' to voluntarily withdraw 'infant' oral cough and cold medicines for children under the age of two."

Moms, dads, you may have a few nights short on sleep, but this is better in the long run.