Should Promethazine Be Available Without Prescription?
GERALD B. HICKSON MD1 1 Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee In Reply. Dr Rosefky is correct, promethazine lacks antidopaminergic activity. This represented an oversight on our part and we appreciate his attention to detail. We did point out correctly that due to the presence of a branch side chain and absence of a ring substitution, promethazine lacks significant antipsychotic effects.1 However, we do have to take exception with Dr Rosefky’s contention that “promethazine has few neurologic side effects.” Essentially all patients who take the drug experience sedation, a neurologic side effect, not to mention those children who have seizures, dystonic responses, agitation, and hallucinations.
