Parents of infants and young children should not use unlicensed homeopathic teething tablets or gels which are available to buy online due to the risk of side effects, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said today.

This advice follows a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation into homeopathic teething tablets and gels which could cause serious side effects such as seizures, difficulty breathing, lethargy, excessive sleepiness, muscle weakness, skin flushing, constipation, difficulty urinating, or agitation.

These particular products are made and supplied by manufacturers in the USA and are not licensed for use in the UK and are not known to be available in UK outlets. However the unlicensed products may be advertised on online shopping or pharmacy websites.