On September 12, 2023, an independent advisory committee to the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) announced that its members unanimously agreed that phenylephrine, an ingredient commonly found in over-the-counter cold/flu and allergy medications, is ineffective as a nasal decongestant when taken in tablet form.
The FDA’s committee explained that phenylephrine, when consumed in tablet form, metabolizes rapidly in the gut once ingested, allowing only a fraction of the phenylephrine consumed to reach the consumer’s nose and provide the represented medicinal benefits.
Many companies in Canada sell phenylephrine in tablet form, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Wal-Mart Canada, RB Health, Procter & Gamble, GSK Canada, and Johnson & Johnson. Phenylephrine is found in the following oral medications used to treat cold/flu and allergy symptoms:
- Benylin Extra Strength Cold & Sinus Day
- Benylin Extra Strength Cold & Sinus Night
- Coltalin Cold & Allergy Tablets
- Cough & Cold Relief
- Dayquil Cold & Flu
- Dayquil Complete
- Dayquil Complete + Vicks Vapocool
- Dayquil Complete + Vicks Vapocool Cold & Flu Liquid
- Dayquil Cough Dm + Congestion
- Dayquil Sinus Liquicaps
- Daytime Cold
- Dilotab II
- Extra Strength Total Symptom Relief Sugar-free
- Extra Strength Tylenol Cold Daytime
- Extra Strength Tylenol Cold Nighttime
- Extra Strength Tylenol Flu Daytime
- Extra Strength Tylenol Flu Nighttime
- Extra Strength Tylenol Sinus Daytime
- Extra Strength Tylenol Sinus Nighttime
- Histenol II
- Hot Lemon Relief for Symptoms of Cold and Flu Extra Strength
- Hot Lemon Relief for Symptoms of Cold and Flu Regular Strength
- Mucinex Multi-action Congestion, Cold & Cough
- Mucinex Multi-action Congestion, Cold & Flu
- Neocitran Cold & Sore Throat Night
- Neocitran Extra Strength Cold & Congestion
- Neocitran Extra Strength Cold & Sinus Night
- Neocitran Extra Strength Cold & Sinus Night – Apple Cinnamon
- Neocitran Extra Strength Total Cold
- Neocitran Extra Strength Total Cold Night
- Neocitran Total Cold Night
- Nighttime Cold
- Nighttime Complete
- Nyquil Complete
- Nyquil Complete + Vicks Vapocool
- Nyquil Complete + Vicks Vapocool Cold & Flu Liquid
- Nyquil Cough Dm + Congestion
- Nyquil Kids
- Nyquil Sinus Liquicaps
- Robitussin Children’s Cold
- Robitussin Children’s Cough & Cold Bedtime
- Vicks Dayquil Cold & Flu Multi-symptom Relief Liquicaps
- Vicks Dayquil Complete Cold & Flu Liquicaps
- Vicks Dayquil Complete Cold & Flu Liquid
- Vicks Dayquil Hot Remedy
- Vicks Nyquil Complete Cold & Flu
- Vicks Nyquil Complete Cold & Flu Liquicaps
- Vicks Nyquil Hot Remedy
If you have purchased one or more products containing phenylephrine listed above, please reach out to us by filling in the form on this webpage.
