TAIPEI: Up to 90 percent of cough syrups do not bear warning statements on their package labels to indicate that over-consumption of the products can cause liver and kidney problems, the Consumers' Foundation reported yesterday.

The foundation recently carried out checks on labeling of 10 cough syrup products and found that nine of the samples tested did not provide a production batch number or warnings of side effects on the outside packaging, although some contained the information on the inner packaging, according to Consumers' Foundation Chairman Hsieh Tien-jen.

Manufacturers of four of the products that did not include warnings on the outside packaging could face fines ranging from NT$30,000 ($938) to NT$150,000.

Normally, people can take only about 10cc of cough syrup in a single dose, but some people take a whole bottle at a time and take this dose three times a day. Over-consumption of cough syrup can damage the liver and kidneys, according to Huang Yu-sheng, the foundation's secretary-general.

The foundation will urge the Department of Health to fine the manufacturers of the four products with no outer packaging warnings and tell them to run TV commercials to advertise the warnings, according to Huang.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 01/29/2010 page2)