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New bill may enhance dosage labels on OTCs

By Staff Writer

Many people are unaware that medicine labels may have incorrect dosages, and consuming more than necessary can result in addiction. Drug rehab centers can help individuals with a dependency to specific medicine, but new legislation may help prevent addiction. A bill has been proposed to erase the uncertainty that comes with giving children over-the-counter drugs, according to Newsday, a New York news site.

Representative Steve Israel is working toward passing new legislation that would standardize dosage for children's medication in an effort to reduce the overdose rate. In his efforts to gain support for the bill, Israel sites a recent study by the American Medical Association that found that 99 percent of attached dosage instruments are inaccurate.

The representative also argues that dosage instructions are difficult to read and understand. Many parents give their children too much medicine as a result of a lack of information, which contributes to the number of overdoses each year.

In 2006, more than 703,00 people visited the emergency room for unintentional poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The proposed bill would help more parents understand how to help their children through over-the-counter drugs in a safe manner. 

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