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posted by cmn32480 on Tuesday October 27 2015, @02:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the if-it-doesn't-work-why-is-it-popular dept.

Back before methamphetamine cooks started buying up non-prescription decongestants to brew crank, all of us were able to buy effective decongestants right off the store shelf without a problem. Now David DiSalvo writes at Forbes that to fill the store-shelf void, drug companies substituted the already-FDA approved ingredient phenylephrine for pseudoephedrine but the oral decongestant phenylephrine simply doesn't work at the FDA-approved amount found in popular non-prescription brands, and it may not even work at much higher doses.

Researchers at the University of Florida are asking the FDA to remove oral phenylephrine from the market. "We think the evidence supports that phenylephrine's status as a safe and effective over-the-counter product should be changed," says Randy Hatton. "We are looking out for the consumer, and he or she needs to know that science says that oral phenylephrine does not work for the majority of people."

In 1976, the FDA deemed a 10 milligram oral dose of phenylephrine safe and effective at relieving congestion, making it possible for companies to use the ingredient without conducting studies. But Leslie Hendeles and Hatton say phenylephrine does not effectively relieve nasal stuffiness at this dose. They say the FDA cited four tests demonstrating efficacy at the 10 milligram dose, two of which were unpublished and sponsored by drug manufacturers. In contrast, the FDA cited six tests demonstrating no significant difference between phenylephrine and placebo. Hendeles said a higher dose may work, but no research has been published regarding safety at higher doses. "They need to do a dose-response study to determine at what higher dose they get both efficacy and safety," says Hendeles adding that until then "consumers should go that extra step and get it (pseudoephedrine) from behind the counter."


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  • (Score: 2) by AndyTheAbsurd on Tuesday October 27 2015, @05:43PM

    by AndyTheAbsurd (3958) on Tuesday October 27 2015, @05:43PM (#255206) Journal

    20 minutes just to get Wal-Mart? Man, that sucks - I've got two that I can get to in less than that (probably 15 minutes, unless traffic is really bad), and they're both supercenters. Not that I ever go - I hate Wal-Mart, partially for their politics, partially for driving small businesses out of business - which is the reason that you've got to drive an hour-plus to find a Target. Of course, in your area, NOT shopping at Wal-Mart probably isn't an option, since it's likely that now they're the only store in town for most retail purchases.

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  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday October 27 2015, @05:56PM

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday October 27 2015, @05:56PM (#255211) Journal

    "since it's likely that now they're the only store in town for most retail purchases."

    That grows more and more true, all the time. Brookshire's has always been my favorite grocery store, since I moved to this area. They used to have a store in every one of the surrounding towns. Gone, gone, and gone, another one losing business steadily, and the last one only doing modest business. The wife now does about half of her shopping at Wally World, depending on which direction she chooses to go.

    Pharmacies are the hardest hit. For over twenty years, Walmart has moved into a town, sold drugs below cost, waited for the local pharmacy to go bankrupt, then jacked prices up to competitive levels, if not slightly higher than competitive.

    From your own post, you understand very well why I hate Wally World.

    • (Score: 2) by jdavidb on Wednesday October 28 2015, @01:11AM

      by jdavidb (5690) on Wednesday October 28 2015, @01:11AM (#255372) Homepage Journal
      Wal-Mart and Brookshire's? You and I must be neighbors.
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      ⓋⒶ☮✝🕊 Secession is the right of all sentient beings
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2015, @07:56PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2015, @07:56PM (#255259)

    drive an hour-plus to find a Target

    So, your alternative is another business that uses corporate profits to fund Reactionary organizations? [google.com]
    ...and you have to go out of your way to do that.

    Either I'm missing your logic or where you are you are simply stuck with the lesser of 2 evils.

    Don't you have any locally-owned businesses where you are?

    -- gewg_