Zicam Cold Remedy Products May Cause Loss of Smell, FDA Warns
Several Zicam brand cold remedy products, which could be in medicine cabinets in millions of American homes, may cause permanent or long-lasting loss of smell, the Food and Drug Administration said.
The over-the-counter nasal products, including Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel, Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, and Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs Kids Size, are made by Matrixx Initiatives. The Kids Size swabs have been discontinued and are no longer sold, but consumers may still have the cold remedies previously purchased in their homes, the FDA said.
The products contain zinc and were marketed as ways to reduce the severity and duration of cold symptoms. The FDA said the products have not been proven effective at limiting symptoms of a cold and may cause a condition called anosmia which results in a loss of sense of smell. Loss of smell often is linked to a loss of taste and can prevent people from detecting smoke, gas leaks, spoiled food, and other potential dangers, the FDA said.
The FDA is advising consumers not to use the Zicam products and throw them away immediately.
Consumer Complaints Filed
Since Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel was approved in 1999, the FDA has received at least 130 reports of ansomia in people using the zinc-based products. The reports vary from people who experienced a temporary loss of smell after a first dose of the product to consumers who suffered permanent or long-term loss of smell after multiple doses, the FDA said.
The FDA advisory about Zicam Cold Remedy products does not apply to oral zinc tablets and lozenges that are taken orally, the FDA said.
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