If you’ve taken an over-the-counter (OTC) nasal decongestant recently, you may have been upset to discover that it did not do much to relieve your clogged sinuses. In fact, recent studies by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) show that most OTC decongestants work no better than a placebo. This video explains in detail how store shelves became filled with useless cold medicine, and ways that the FDA are working to make things right.
Questions:
- Why do most OTC decongestants contain an ingredient that does not provide sinus relief? How did the market get to this point?
- Do you think the FDA should ban the use of phenylephrine in OTC nasal decongestants? Why or why not?