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Palliative cancer care - cough - Management
Cough suppressants

Age from 16 years onwards
Pholcodine linctus BP
Pholcodine 5mg/5ml linctus
Take one to two 5ml spoonfuls 3 to 4 times a day, when required to relieve coughing.
Supply 300 ml.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £0.89
OTC cost: £1.57
Licensed use: yes
Codeine linctus BP
Codeine 15mg/5ml linctus
Take one to two 5ml spoonfuls 3 to 4 times a day, when required to relieve coughing.
Supply 300 ml.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £1.73
Licensed use: yes
Codeine 30mg tablets
Codeine 30mg tablets
Take one to two tablets 3 to 4 times a day, when required to relieve coughing.
Supply 56 tablets.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £4.50
Licensed use: no
Morphine solution: initial titration for opioid-naive people
Morphine sulphate 10mg/5ml oral solution
Take 1.25ml regularly every 4 hours, and when required to relieve coughing.
Supply 100 ml.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £1.87
Licensed use: no
Patient information: After a few days, your doctor will review the dose of morphine you are taking. Once you have reached a steady dose of morphine throughout the day, your doctor can change you to morphine tablets. These only need to be taken once or twice a day.
Morphine sol: initial titration if previously on weak opioid
Morphine sulphate 10mg/5ml oral solution
Take 2.5ml to 5ml regularly every 4 hours, and when required to relieve coughing.
Supply 100 ml.
Age: from 16 years onwards
NHS cost: £1.87
Licensed use: no
Patient information: After a few days, your doctor will review the dose of morphine you are taking. Once you have reached a steady dose of morphine throughout the day, your doctor can change you to morphine tablets. These only need to be taken once or twice a day.

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