Parents of newborns are calling for a ban to be lifted on a mixture they describe as “liquid gold” for colic, but which health authorities warn can cause “serious side effects”.
Willby’s, which has been compounding Willby’s Wind and Colic Mix for 30 years, has been told by the Victorian Pharmacy Authority (VPA) it can no longer make the product amid warnings about the risks of one of the ingredients it contains.
It has belladonna, also known as deadly nightshade, in the mixture.
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While extremely toxic in the wrong hands, it can be prescribed by pharmacies.
Parents say it helps with colic, which is when a baby cries for hours, thought to be because of painful gas.
Willby’s, which is based in Mitcham in Melbourne’s east but also prescribes via phone and online, says it has been forced to close because of the ban issued last week.
The compounding pharmacy maintains the medicine is safe but confirmed the tonic will be discontinued in a statement posted on Friday, saying it was “deeply saddened”.
Australia’s medical watchdog, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), issued a warning about compounded products containing belladonna earlier this month, saying they had been linked to “serious side effects”
“Belladonna toxicity can cause symptoms in an infant that include dry mouth and skin, dilated pupils, inability to pass urine, floppiness and poor feeding,” it said.
Queensland Health also issued an alert, while NSW Health last month warned doctors not to recommend colic preparations containing belladonna.
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‘Outpouring of grief’ over ban
Willby’s pharmacist Sebastian Goldby told 9News the company had been “overwhelmed by the outpouring of grief” amid the ban and was “greatly concerned for the wellbeing of these mums now left without a solution”.
“Belladonna tincture has an exceptionally long history of being used and is extremely effective if used correctly in the appropriate doses set by pharmacists,” Goldby said.
“Reports of side effects typically occur in situations of overdose or where the exact concentration of active alkaloids is unknown.
“We take great care to counsel every parent before supplying any medication.
“We work with a large number of allied health professionals including paediatricians, GPs, maternal health care nurses, midwives and chiropractors who regularly refer patients to us.”
‘A huge lifeline for us’
Parent Sebastian Nicolson said he was “incredibly upset” about the ban.
He used the mixture for his eldest son, who is now three, and now gives it to his almost four-month-old.
He said when he and his wife found out it was being discontinued last week they “started to spiral”, saying it’s the only thing they’ve found that helps.
“Willby’s was really a huge lifeline for us,” he told 9news.com.au.
“I struggle to understand the VPA’s decision. They have not really given a real reason.
“I forgot to order it a few weeks ago and went five days without it.
“In those five days, he was screaming constantly.”
Nicolson said the pharmacists were “very thorough” before prescribing it.
“We spent ages looking into everything,” he said.
“You don’t just call up and say, ‘Give me some poison for my baby.'”
Mum Nicole Morgan has launched a petition against the ban, saying what she called “liquid gold” had “brought relief and comfort to countless families for over 30 years”.
“This measure will inevitably lead to enormous distress for families across Australia who rely heavily on this vital remedy to alleviate their babies’ discomfort and pain,” the Change.org petition reads.
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It has almost 800 signatures.
David McConville, chairperson of the VPA, said in a statement the decision against the pharmacy “has not been made lightly”.
“We are resolute in our decision that we have acted to keep infants in Australia safe,” a statement said.
“Our message to parents and carers is to follow the guidance of the TGA – consult a medical practitioner before giving a compounded colic preparation containing belladonna to an infant.”
Do you have a story? Contact journalist Sarah Swain at sswain@nine.com.au
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