Earticle

Objective: This paper was aimed to investigate the current labelling trend of tar color additives in infant’s drugs used in Korea and other countries. Method: The current labelling system of the tar color additives in infant's drugs was investigated using inserted papers for drug information of infant’s drugs as well as three drug information internet sites popular in Korea including internet sites of foreign countries of USA, UK, Japan, and China for infant’s drug information. Results: Among 325 drugs registered as syrup form for infant’s drugs (sources, http://www.health.kr), 4 drugs indicated tar color related information on the internet and only 2 drugs indicated tar color additives’ name. And from the investigated results of 76 inserted papers for infant’s drug information, among 31 drugs containing tar dyes, in only 19 drugs the tar color additives’ names were notated. Among 6 drugs which do not contain tar dyes, only 1 drug was notated as ‘Dye-Free’. Conclusion: For advanced labelling system in Korea, we proposed the below guidelines. [1] The name of tar color additives used in infant’s drugs should be notated even in drug information on internet sites. [2] All drug ingredients used in infant’s drugs need to be separately notated as active and inactive species on both internet sites and inserted papers. [3] ‘Dye-Free’ notation should be mandatory for infant’s drugs which do not contain tar color additives in drug information on the internet sites as well as inserted papers.