Feeling stuffy and able to attain for NyQuil, Benadryl, or Sudafed PE?
Not so quick.
The Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed ending the usage of oral phenylephrine, a standard ingredient discovered in lots of chilly and allergy medicines — and a few pharmacies already are yanking the favored merchandise off cabinets.
Florida researchers have been learning the effectiveness of oral phenylephrine for 20 years. Way back to 2005, researchers on the College of Florida Faculty of Pharmacy had suspected that this ingredient doesn’t relieve nasal congestion, despite the fact that it has been broadly used for that objective. The researchers evaluated a number of research carried out on oral phenylephrine and mixed them right into a meta-analysis. They concluded that medicines with the ingredient work no higher than placebo drugs in sufferers with chilly and allergy congestion.
“For 20 years, we have been telling everyone who will listen that oral phenylephrine doesn’t work,” stated Dr. Randy Hatton, a College of Florida Faculty of Pharmacy professor. “We have been teaching pharmacy students that it doesn’t work. We hear from pharmacists who know it doesn’t work. And we actually did something about it.”
Hatton and UF professor, Dr. Leslie Hendeles, took their findings to the FDA, greater than as soon as. Lastly, in September 2023, the federal company convened a committee and issued a proposed order.
“They looked at all the evidence we looked at and did an in-depth evaluation of what we had been looking at for years,” Hatton stated.
The FDA is permitting the general public to remark for the following six months earlier than it decides whether or not to drag medicines with oral phenylephrine from cabinets. However some retail pharmacies aren’t ready. CVS stopped promoting merchandise with phenylephrine final 12 months. Different main pharmacies, together with Walgreens and Ceremony Help, nonetheless inventory merchandise containing the drug, however say they’re monitoring the FDA’s actions.
So, what are some choices for Floridians affected by congestion with out their go-to medicines?
Hatton stated nasal sprays with phenylephrine are an possibility.
“In spray form, phenylephrine causes nasal constriction and opens up passages,” he stated. “But only use the sprays for three to five days. People who keep taking them get rebound congestion.”
Medical doctors and pharmacists additionally suggest different choices:
- Intranasal steroids like Flonase and Nasonex, or over-the-counter nasal sprays with oxymetazoline resembling Afrin and Zicam
- Saline irrigation units, like a neti pot, that assist wash sinuses out (however solely use distilled water, not faucet)
- Nasal saline sprays, like Sinex or Merely Saline, which additionally use a saltwater answer to irrigate sinuses
- Merchandise with pseudoephedrine, the ingredient in Sudafed, which could be discovered behind the pharmacy counter
- Oral antihistamines like Zyrtec, Allegra and Claritin, which clear nasal congestion related to allergy symptoms
“If you have questions, talk to the pharmacists. They are trained in nonprescription drugs. Just ask, does this work for congestion?” Hatton advises.
These searching for non-medication choices might strive:
- Spicy meals, which might create a burning sensation from a chemical referred to as capsaicin, inflicting a runny nostril that drains mucus from sinuses
- Steam from a sizzling bathe or a heat compress positioned over the nostril
- Humidifiers
Bought well being concepts, suggestions or feedback? South Florida Solar Sentinel well being reporter Cindy Goodman could be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.
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