**Popular Cold Medicine to Be Phased Out**
A common cold medicine may soon be harder to find on pharmacy shelves. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed taking the decongestant phenylephine off the market because it doesn’t actually relieve nasal congestion.
Phenylephrine is used in many over-the-counter medicines like Sudafed and Dayquil. But experts have been questioning its effectiveness for a long time. The FDA is now following through on this proposal, which means that drug companies will likely need to remove or reformulate their products.
**Why Is This Happening?**
The FDA made this decision after reviewing several studies that showed phenylephrine doesn’t work any better than a placebo in clearing nasal passageways. Experts also looked at old studies from the 1960s and 1970s, which supported the use of phenylephrine, but found many flaws and questionable data.
**What Will Happen Next?**
The FDA will now take comments on its proposal for six months. After that, it will review the feedback before making a final decision. Even after this decision is finalized, companies will likely have a year or more to remove or reformulate their products.
**What Alternatives Are There?**
People who still want to take pills or syrups for relief will probably need to head to the pharmacy counter, where pseudoephedrine-containing versions of Sudafed and other products remain available without a prescription. For long-term relief, nasal steroids like Flonase are recommended.
**Why Doesn’t Phenylephine Work?**
Experts say that phenylephrine is quickly broken down in the stomach and doesn’t get into the bloodstream, so it can’t reach the nose. Even higher doses have been shown to be ineffective and may carry safety risks.