US FDA proposes ending use of oral phenylephrine present in cold medicines

US Food and Drug Administration announced it is proposing to remove oral phenylephrine as an active ingredient that can be used in over the counter (OTC) monograph drug products for the temporary relief of nasal congestion after an agency review of the available data determined that oral phenylephrine is not effective for this use.

For now, companies may continue to market OTC monograph drug products containing oral phenylephrine as a nasal decongestant.

This is a proposed order. Only a final order will affect what products can be marketed. The proposed order is based on effectiveness concerns, not on safety concerns.

Currently, oral phenylephrine is widely used as a nasal decongestant active ingredient in many OTC monograph drug products. It is important to note that some products only contain oral phenylephrine as a single, active ingredient. Others contain oral phenylephrine and another active ingredient (e.g., acetaminophen or dextromethorphan), and the presence of oral phenylephrine in these medicines does not affect how other active ingredients work to treat the symptoms for which they are intended.

“It is the FDA’s role to ensure that drugs are safe and effective,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “Based on our review of available data, and consistent with the advice of the advisory committee, we are taking this next step in the process to propose removing oral phenylephrine because it is not effective as a nasal decongestant.”

The agency conducted a comprehensive review of all available data on the safety and efficacy of oral phenylephrine, including the historical data that were used to support the determination made 30 years ago that oral phenylephrine was effective as a nasal decongestant, as well as newer clinical data on oral phenylephrine that have since become available.

Last fall, the FDA also held a Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee meeting to discuss the ‘Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective’ (GRASE) status of oral phenylephrine as a nasal decongestant. The committee discussed new data on the effectiveness of orally administered phenylephrine and unanimously concluded that the current scientific data do not support that the recommended dosage in the OTC cold, cough, allergy, bronchodilator and antiasthmatic drug products monograph for orally administered phenylephrine’s effectiveness as a nasal decongestant.

“Consumers should know that a range of safe and effective drugs and other treatments is available to temporarily relieve congestion symptoms due to allergies or a common cold,” said Theresa Michele, M.D., director of the Office of Nonprescription Drug Products in CDER. “Consumers can also talk to their doctor or pharmacist about ways to treat these symptoms.”

Because a variety of different drug products may be sold under the same brand name, consumers should always read the Drug Facts label to determine which ingredients are in a medication, and to be aware of important warnings and directions for use. Phenylephrine is also an ingredient in nasal sprays to treat congestion. The FDA’s action is only related to orally administered phenylephrine and not the nasal spray form.