CVS will not sell popular cold medicines: what happened

CVS is removing over-the-counter allergy and cold products containing a popular ingredient from sale. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found that this compound, phenylephrine, is no more effective than placebo when taken orally. Writes about this USA Today.

Photo: IStock

“We are removing a small number of oral decongestants containing phenylephrine as the sole active ingredient from sale at CVS Pharmacies, but will continue to offer a variety of other oral cough and cold products to meet consumer needs,” a CVS Health spokesperson said in a statement.

Phenylephrine is found in branded decongestants such as Sudafed and Dayquil. It became the main ingredient in most of these drugs after legislation was passed in 2006 to restrict access to pseudoephedrine, which can be used to make methamphetamine.

On the subject: A popular drug for colds and allergies is completely ineffective: it’s just a waste of money

Drugs like Dayquil will remain on CVS store shelves because they contain a combination of active ingredients.

Since 2007, the effectiveness of phenylephrine for relieving nasal congestion has been disputed.

In September, a panel of consultants assembled by the FDA unanimously found that oral phenylephrine was not effective "on a careful review" of data going back to 1994 and that the drug is metabolized in the body before it enters the nasal passages.

No safety concerns have been identified with oral phenylephrine.

According to experts, the potential benefits of eliminating this component include "reducing overall health care costs and preventing missed opportunities for more effective treatments" such as doctor visits.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

Sales of drugs containing phenylephrine totaled $1,8 billion last year, according to an FDA report.

Not all pharmacy chains will withdraw products. A Rite Aid spokesperson said the company will keep these over-the-counter products on its shelves: "Our pharmacists are available to advise customers about over-the-counter products to relieve symptoms associated with colds and other illnesses."

Read also on ForumDaily:

Dental Insurance in the USA: How It Works and Why You Could Be Hit with Huge Bills Even If You Have a Policy

Cooler than Warren Buffett: how a former tax employee turned $5000 into $22 million

Online shopping: which payment methods are the safest and which ones to avoid?

Talk to the AI ​​for 10 seconds and it will tell you whether you have diabetes or not

How to win a lottery jackpot: strategies from mathematicians and statisticians

Florida authorities sound the alarm about flesh-eating bacteria: what you need to know

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.