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FDA says decongestant in many cold medicines doesn't work. So what does? (apnews.com)

submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Summary

The FDA has proposed phasing out oral phenylephrine, a common decongestant in cold medicines like Sudafed PE and DayQuil, after studies showed it is no more effective than a placebo.

The drug, ineffective when swallowed due to breakdown in the stomach, remains usable in nasal sprays.

Alternatives include pseudoephedrine, nasal sprays, and steroid treatments like Flonase.

The regulatory process to remove phenylephrine could take over a year, but experts argue removing ineffective options will help consumers choose better remedies for congestion. Drugmakers are expected to challenge the proposal.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 months ago

The stuff that they restricted.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

phenylephrine is effective as a nasal spray, not in tablet or liquid (i.e. taken orally).

drug makers were all in a panic over lost sales due to pseudoephedrine getting put behind the counter. they basically lied to everyone about phenylephrine's effectiveness when they put it in all the stuff sold on retail shelves just to protect their fucking profits.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Drugmakers are expected to challenge the proposal.

But has anyone thought about the corporations?

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

Pseudoephedrine. In the US, you have to go to the pharmacy counter and ask for it, but it works.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 months ago (15 children)

The problem is that it is legally an evil drug because you can make meth from it, so it remains heavily restricted. There are more effective ways to make meth at commercial scale than by buying and crushing up cold and flu tablets, but it’s a question of moral principle, i.e. not condoning evil.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 months ago

And it works great! I woke up with a ton of sinus pain yesterday. My whole face ached. Two pseudoephedrine and it was gone in an hour.

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