Teething gels to be sold in pharmacies only

Pharmacists are best placed to provide guidance and support when babies and children are teething or if there are concerns about babies’ health, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said today.

These medicines should only be used when non-medicinal options do not provide necessary relief. This advice follows a review which also recommended that the administration instructions and safety warnings should be updated.

The MHRA review concluded there is a lack of evidence of benefit to using products containing lidocaine for teething before non-medicinal options. Our evidence of any risk associated with these products is very small given the wide usage of these medicines. A pharmacist or healthcare professional can provide appropriate guidance.