The FDA says oral phenylephrine, used in many over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, "is not effective as a nasal decongestant."

Summary

The FDA has proposed removing oral phenylephrine, a common ingredient in over-the-counter cold medicines like NyQuil and Sudafed, due to evidence that it is ineffective as a nasal decongestant.

The proposal follows a unanimous vote by FDA advisers last year, and recent studies showing less than 1% of the drug is absorbed into the bloodstream when taken orally.

The public comment period ends on May 7, after which the FDA may finalize the ban.

  • @[email protected]
    37•13 days ago

    My former boss (Canada) kept a bag of ephedrine bottles in our produce cooler. Dude was twitchy as fuck. Very bird/dinosaur-like.

    He would take several per day and chase them with coffee and energy shots. Then he would complain intermittently about vomiting blood due to his ulcers.

    • @cheese_greater
      4•13 days ago

      Sounds like a nightmare! The man needs Adderall, holy shit

      BTW, I could be wrong but pretty sure you dont want to take ephedrine, pseudoephedrine is milder while still doing the decongestion

      • @[email protected]
        2•13 days ago

        Wasn’t ephedrine the drug used in all those diet pill commercials from the 90s/00s? The ones that caused anal leakage, liver damage and death?

        • @InverseParallaxEnglish
          1•12 days ago

          Think that’s epinephrine, ie adrenaline (as a hormone, epinephrine when a neurotransmitter or when affecting the heart and vasculature).

          Edit: actually adrenaline was the first European patent name, while the US discoverer used epinephrine thinking it was a different compound, interesting.