My first response to this is as a patient: Occasionally the aftermath of a respiratory illness can create a dry, lingering cough. I have had this once and it went on for months. The more I coughed, the more irritated my throat got and the more I coughed. Doctors were reluctant to prescribe anything. I finally got one doctor to prescribe a codeine cough syrup and two nights were all it took for my throat to heal and the cough to go away. So I think there is a place for [effective] cough suppressants. My second response is as a speech therapist. I have come across many patients with chronic cough and know that some Speech Therapists are now working on behavioural strategies (See Anne Vertigan and others) to address it. Before any behavioural strategies are attempted, however, the patient must have thorough investigations as to cause of the cough (reflux, microaspiration, allergies, more serious pathologies), so I agree that cough should not be ignored. Chronic cough, however, can be self-perpetuating cycle, as in my case, and cough suppressants seem like they could be helpful along with behavioural strategies to break that, once all the other causes of the cough have been ruled out. I realize you probably wanted more of a medical person's opinion than a lay person like I am. I agree with you that physicians and pharmacists should not just "suppress" cough or pain without investigating the root cause.