You may have seen Sudafed, Mucinex, Benadryl, and other well-known brands in the cold and flu aisle. But did you know that some of these products may not work as well as they claim?
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is thinking about removing a common ingredient called oral phenylephrine from many cold and flu medicines. This ingredient is found in about four out of every five oral decongestants on the market.
If the FDA makes this change, it could affect popular products like Advil Sinus Congestion & Pain, Sudafed PE Nasal Decongestant, and Vicks DayQuil. Research shows that oral phenylephrine doesn’t actually help clear a stuffy nose.
Although the FDA hasn’t made a final decision yet, they are considering removing oral phenylephrine from these medicines in the future. This change would not apply to nasal sprays or eye drops, which are more effective at delivering the drug.
For more information about oral decongestants with phenylephrine, you can visit this website.
Vocabulary List:
Decongestant /ˌdiː.kənˈdʒɛs.tənt/ (noun): A medication that relieves nasal congestion.
Phenylephrine /ˌfɛn.ɪlˈɛf.rɪn/ (noun): A common ingredient used in oral decongestants.
Aisle /aɪl/ (noun): A passage between rows of seats or shelves.
Effective /ɪˈfɛk.tɪv/ (adjective): Successful in producing a desired or intended result.
Research /ˈriː.sɜːrtʃ/ (noun/verb): The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources.
Consider /kənˈsɪd.ər/ (verb): To think about carefully.
