FDA May Ban $2 Billion in Ineffective Phenylephrine Cold Medicines
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FDA advisers concluded that phenylephrine, a common cold/allergy med ingredient, is ineffective at relieving congestion.
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This could lead the FDA to pull products containing phenylephrine off store shelves.
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Phenylephrine gets inactivated in the gut, so less than 1% reaches the blood/nose when taken orally.
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Phenylephrine replaced pseudoephedrine in many medicines in the 2000s due to laws combating meth production.
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The FDA could force manufacturers to remove phenylephrine products, valued at $2 billion annually, though alternative effective nasal decongestants are available.