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FDA says many cold medicines found over-the-counter don't work

By and FOX 2 Staff
Published  November 13, 2024 6:26pm EST
Health Works Sponsored by Corewell Health
FOX 2 Detroit

FDA says many over-the-counter cold medicines don't work

When you have a cold and go into the drug store, your over-the-counter treatment options are endless. Dr. Justin Skrzynski of Corewell Health will help us sort it out.

FOX 2 - You know what season we're about to enter?  The season of sniffling, sneezing and sinus trouble. But now the FDA is saying some decongeestants don't work.

Dr. Justin Skrzynski or Corewell Health will help us sort it out.

When you have a cold and go into the drug store, your over-the-counter treatment options are endless.

"Basicaly the fda is saying don't waste your money," he said. "The efficacy of phenylephrine has been in question for a long time, even going back to 2007. There were doubts about does it really do anything."

In 2005 pseudoephedrine, the decongestant that works,  moved behind the pharmacist counter because it was being misused to make meth.

Phenylephrine - the watered down version, became the main ingredient in many over-the-counter decogestants.

But recent studies have found no difference between phenylephrine medications and placebos.

"Importantly this is about oral phenylephrine," he said. "So there is a nose spray that still seems to have some benefit. But,  pill version, your body breaks it down to the point that by the time it makes its way to your sinuses, there's not enough medication to have much of an effect."

So as the FDA figures this out and we're about to enter the season of congestion, what do we do? You can go behind the counter, but be careful.

"A pseudoephedrine - that's something like Sudafed, that still seems to have some benefit," Skrzynski said. "Those are the ones that are typically behind the counter, though, so you have to ask your pharmacist. Also ask your doctor too, some of these medications, especially decongestants, we worry about patients with high blood pressure, for instance."

There are also over-the-counter options that don't involve phelepharin.  

"Antihistamines will still be effective, and also nasal sprays will still be effective, too," he said. "Alot of the times saline - so just a salt water spray is enough to help relieve some of that congestion people have.

"Obviously that's no medication at all."

As of now the FDA is proposing removing phenylephrine as an active ingredient ot be fused in oral over the counter medication again its not a safety issue but based on effectivenes.

It will make a final decision after a six-month public comment period.