Many children’s liquid medications contain glycerin. Therefore it is imperative to discuss the permissibility of giving these medications to children. (Obviously if the child is in danger these halachos do not apply).
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There is an issur d’oraisa for one to feed a child food that is not kosher. This is learned from three different pesukim in the Torah. The reason is so the child does not become accustomed to doing aveiros which he may continue when he is over thirteen. This issur applies to all people and not only to a child’s parents. One who sees his child doing an issur d’oraisa has to stop him. Others say a father is obligated to stop his child even by an issur d’rabanan. Some say a mother is also obligated to stop him. If a child did not yet reach the age of chinuch there is no need to stop him from doing any issur.
There are some Rishonim who hold that one is permitted to give a child an issur d’rabanan if it is for the child’s sake, while others maintain that doing so is forbidden. Although, the custom is to be stringent, in regard to medicine one may be lenient.
The Rama holds that one is not allowed to take a medicine if one is a choleh sh’ein bo sakana, even if it is an issur d’rabanan. The opinion of Harav Shlomo Kluger zt”l is to permit the consumption of an issur d’rabanan for medicinal purposes. Based on the above opinion that one is permitted to serve food which is ossur m’drabanan to a child, and the opinion of Harav Shlomo Kluger zt”l that one is permitted to give a child a medicine which is ossur m’drabanan, one may give a child liquid medicine which contain glycerin. This is because it is only a doubt if the medicine is ossur since the glycerin may come from a kosher source.
The opinion of Harav Hershel Shachter Shlita is that if one does not have an alternative one may rely on the above reasoning. Indeed in many cases an alternative is available.
The above article is reprinted with permission exclusive to VIN News from Halachically Speaking, a monthly publication compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits, a former chaver kollel of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath and a musmach of Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Rabbi Lebovits currently works as the Rabbinical Administrator for the KOF-K Kosher Supervision. To subscribe to Halachically Speaking via email for free sign up at www.thehalacha.com
What is glycerin made of that its not kosher? Are there animal products in it?
Which basic medicines have glycerin?
Infections like strep throat can be fatal if not treated with antibiotics, and you don’t want parents to withhold medication. I think VIN should be responsible and state clearly that one should never withhold medication from a child, but where possible to find a kosher medicine. The article does not make this clear enough.
Plus we have the heter of Rav Moshe that glycerin is botel berov (see his tshuva re: whiskey)
I think it’s very important that children who are prescribed medicine not just take them but first wait until whatever process their parents deem sufficient to clear it with a Rabbi be applied first. If the Rabbi has a problem with the medicine, then the parents should communicate that with the doctor, and get new prescriptions. Then, the parents should run those through the Rabbi. This can be repeated until the child has recovered or is dead.
Haich maasrin ess hateven v’ess hamelach?
all tooth pastes and mouthwashes have glycerin even those that have a hechsher
why all of a sudden??
I lalways sough treif medicine is mutar even for an adult.
Despite what some say, Rav Moshe Feinstein was mattir such medicnes for adults without reservation.he specifically told his son Rav Reuven shlit”a that there was no reason to purchase the kosher one. No one has to rely on that psak if they don’t want to, but no one should distort what Rav Moshe held.