Europe’s baby meds contain potentially harmful additives

(Reuters Health) – Two-thirds of newborns in Europe who received common medicines were exposed to a potentially dangerous substance in the medication, according a new study.

The study did not look at whether the babies were actually harmed, only if they had been exposed to excipients – inactive substances included in many products – that have been linked to toxic side effects in newborns.

“Many of these potentially harmful ingredients of medicines are essential for the stability and safety of the medicine, for example by making the drug dissolve or stopping bacteria from growing in the medicine,” or they may extend a drug’s shelf-life, said lead author Dr. Georgi Nellis of Tartu University Hospital in Estonia.

The study team found some regional differences in how many babies were exposed to each of the eight excipients examined, which suggests that alternative versions of some drugs are available, they write in BMJ.

It may be impossible to give a medicine without an excipient, but in some cases they remain in a medicine because no one has tried to remove them, Nellis told Reuters Health by email.