CVS is pulling over-the-counter allergy and cold medicines that contain the most popular decongestant ingredient from its shelves. The ingredient, phenylephrine, was found to be no more effective than a placebo when taken orally by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month.
“We are removing a small number of oral decongestant products that contain phenylephrine as the only active ingredient from CVS Pharmacy stores but will continue offering many other oral cough and cold products to meet consumer needs,” a spokesperson for CVS Health told USA TODAY in a statement.
Phenylephrine can be found in name brand decongestants such as Sudafed and Dayquil, and became the primary ingredient in most of these medications after a 2006 law limited access to pseudoephedrine, which can be used to make methamphetamine.
Products like Dayquil will remain on CVS shelves since they have a combination of active ingredients.
More:FDA panel declares decongestant phenylephrine ineffective. What it is and what products contain it
Since 2007, the efficacy of phenylephrine to provide nasal congestion relief has been challenged.
In September, the group of FDA-assembled advisors unanimously voted oral phenylephrine ineffective “a thorough review of” data going back to 1994, and that the drug metabolizes in the body before it reaches the nasal passages. The panel vote is not a medical determination.
There were no safety issues found with taking oral phenylephrine.
The experts said some potential benefits of removing the ingredient include “lowering of overall healthcare costs, and avoiding missed opportunities for use of more effective treatments” like going to the doctor.
Medications with phenylephrine generated $1.8 billion in sales last year, according to the FDA report.
Not all pharmacy chains will remove products. In a statement to USA TODAY, a Rite Aid spokesperson said the company will keep those over-the-counter medications on its shelves:
“Our pharmacists are available to provide guidance to customers on over-the-counter solutions for alleviating symptoms associated with colds and other illnesses.”
Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com.
