this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2024
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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.

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[–] Mercuri@lemmy.world 63 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (10 children)

Good. Now do something about homeopathy. I'm so sick of having to explain to people that homeopathy is not medicine in any shape or form. It's not even a home remedy. And it sits right next to actual medicine so people might accidentally buy it unwittingly.

[–] CmdrShepard42@lemm.ee 14 points 6 days ago (1 children)

This was so infuriating during covid as it was hard to find children's cold medicine already and half the time you'd see a couple bottles of "Children's cold and flu" on the shelf, buy it, and get home before you notice "homeopathic" written in 3pt font along the bottom of the bottle. Shit's completely useless.

[–] Mercuri@lemmy.world 8 points 6 days ago

I've gotten into the habit of checking active ingredients after almost accidentally buying something homeopathic that was immediately adjacent the thing I actually meant to grab.

[–] ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml 6 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I'm sure the Trump Administration will get right on banning homeopathy, or even just labelling it properly. lol

[–] Mercuri@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago

Most certainly! They surely won't completely dismantle the FDA and then allow big-pharma to dictate everything. /s

[–] roguetrick@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago

The problem is, unlike homeopathy, this drug was ineffective for what it was approved for while actually causing side effects. At least the water doesn't do anything.

[–] Verat@sh.itjust.works 4 points 6 days ago

Right? You can't even get ear drops that work anymore because all of the ones they stock over the counter are homeopathic where I live.

[–] TheOctonaut@mander.xyz 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Right, but what can they do, short of banning small bottles of water?

[–] frazorth@feddit.uk 29 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Ban small bottles of water that claim magical fixes?

[–] CmdrShepard42@lemm.ee 8 points 6 days ago

Or ban it from being placed next to actual medicine. Go put it in the candy or soda aisle.

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[–] ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml 19 points 6 days ago

Something tells me the Trump Administration won't allow this ban to go through.

[–] roguetrick@lemmy.world 33 points 6 days ago

Fucking finally.

[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 36 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I remember like a year or two ago when they officially announced these products are LESS effective than a placebo. How the hell is it taking so long to get them off the shelves?

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 13 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I assume they submitted the results and stated they need to be removed, then reviewed the supreme courts measure that stated they only have power to make measures if Congress grants them privilege to do so (precidence, set in Julyish of 2022 with the EPA) making the specialized divisions of government created by Congress illegitimate unless Congress votes on the measure afterwards, making them just superficial recommendations for Congress to wait and see what their lobbyists think is okay.

Aka will drug companies pay enough to keep us lying to the public, vs maybe we will go by the recorded data.

Exon mobile recorded their data of environmental impacts in what year? And we had battery powered vehicles traveling up to 100 miles before that time. Instead of doing what was best for the future of the people, we chose what was best for profits. Reference article for fun; https://www.corporateknights.com/transportation/half-a-century-ago-one-u-s-senator-fought-to-ban-gas-powered-cars-almost-won

Point being. what power did they have to remove them from the shelves. I assume they are launching these last ditch efforts before Biden leaves, and praying to get some support before they get chiseled away at.

Imagine where we would be if GM/Ford and such started forcing the R&D in 1975 instead of 2005, 2015 or whatever we call it now

[–] bitchkat@lemmy.world 19 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Is this the shit they started using when they started using the original stuff to make meth?

[–] Verat@sh.itjust.works 15 points 6 days ago

By my understanding yes, pseudoephedrine was being used for meth so they put it behind the counter and the name brand "Sudafed" made a PE line that was this, phenylephrine, to stay over the counter.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 9 points 5 days ago

No worries, three months from now it'll all be back on the shelves again

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 18 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I have been railing about how this shit doesn't work for what feels like forever.

The entire cold/cough aisle is essentially a scam. Pick up some generic diphenhydramine, APAP, ibuP, and some Pseduophedrine. It will cheap as dirt and do all the things that overpriced shit will do. Anything else that actually helps with a cold/cough is prescription only.

[–] chiliedogg@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Pseudoephedrine can't legally be sold in the aisles, and requires you to get out from the pharmacist's counter and provide an ID.

That's why they push the aid that doesn't work. It can be sold at a gas station and after hours.

[–] MIDItheKID@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Damn meth heads ruining it for the rest of us.

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[–] BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world 8 points 6 days ago (5 children)

If you want some real solid advice: never buy the nasal spray that has phenylephrine. It may well be one of the most addictive substances man has ever made.

The pills do absolutely nothing. About once or twice a year I have to get the good stuff from the pharmacy, but I've refused to even buy the new stuff.

I can't help but feel like they could just put something in the regular Sudafed to make it not methy, but I took physics and not chemistry so idk.

[–] Emerald@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

I can’t help but feel like they could just put something in the regular Sudafed to make it not methy

Sudafed is not "methy", but it can be used to make meth

[–] BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago

That's what I meant by methy.

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[–] Nottalottapies@aussie.zone 11 points 6 days ago (1 children)

About time. Thankfully in Australia we can still get access to the ones containing psuedoephedrine, which works amazingly well.

Can't believe it has taken this long to see the inefficacy of these.

[–] Mercuri@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago (2 children)

In the US, you can still get the stuff containing pseudoephedrine but you have to go to the pharmacy and ask for it and then show your ID. Out of curiosity, what's the process in Australia?

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[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 12 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

It won't be pulled from the shelves - it'll just be getting some new fine-print.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

I like in the article how it says they'll get some time to reformulate, but if it doesn't work, they could just turn off the widget inserting it and bobs your uncle!

[–] TherapyGary@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Interesting. I use phenylephrine pills (no other active ingredients) for nasal congestion every time I'm sick, and it has always worked very well for me

I do tend to be extra sensitive to most drugs though, so maybe that has something to do with it

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 13 points 6 days ago

Maybe for you it does, although you'd need to test with placebo to really know. It's amazing how much our minds can effect things if we expect things to change.

It could also be that your pills are a significantly higher dose. If 1% is absorbed orally, maybe that pill has 100x the dose required otherwise.

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