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canyonwalkerIt's in the news this week that the drug phenylephrine, used as a key ingredient in a variety of cold medicines to reduce swelling of nasal passages, simply doesn't work. An FDA advisory panel made this unanimous finding on Tuesday after reviewing recent scientific studies showing that oral forms of the drug (i.e, pills and cough syrups) provide no more benefit to patients than a placebo. Example coverage: CNBC article, 12 Sep 2023.
My first thought when I saw the news was, "I could have told you that 10-plus years ago." That's how long ago I tried the medicine myself and quickly determined it doesn't work.
10-plus years ago is when pharmacies starting carding me to buy pseudoephedrine over the counter. Pseudoephedrine is the ingredient in classic formulations of brands like Sudafed. (Indeed the name Sudafed is derived directly from pseudoephedrine.) Apparently drug dealers of the illegal kind were cooking pseudoephedrine pills into meth. As governments required stores to clamp down on selling that legal drug, drug makers shifted their main brands to use a related but weaker active ingredient, phenylephrine.
I call phenylephrine weaker because that's how pharmacists described it to me when I challenged them about it.
Now we learn that "weaker" was just bullshit for doesn't work.
My first thought when I saw the news was, "I could have told you that 10-plus years ago." That's how long ago I tried the medicine myself and quickly determined it doesn't work.
10-plus years ago is when pharmacies starting carding me to buy pseudoephedrine over the counter. Pseudoephedrine is the ingredient in classic formulations of brands like Sudafed. (Indeed the name Sudafed is derived directly from pseudoephedrine.) Apparently drug dealers of the illegal kind were cooking pseudoephedrine pills into meth. As governments required stores to clamp down on selling that legal drug, drug makers shifted their main brands to use a related but weaker active ingredient, phenylephrine.
I call phenylephrine weaker because that's how pharmacists described it to me when I challenged them about it.
Me: I can't find any pseudoephedrine on the shelves, is it behind the counter?
Pharmacist: Yes, but right now we're out. We don't get regular stock anymore. Try these pills with phenylephrine; they're better.
Me: I have tried phenylephrine. It doesn't work. It doesn't relieve my symptoms like pseudoephedrine does.
Pharmacist: Well, it's a weaker formulation. You just need to take more pills.
Me: How is it better if I have to take more pills?
Pharmacist: It's better because you have more control over your dosage.
Me: Taking 4-5 pills to get the same benefit I used to get from 1 does not seem "better" to me. Also, taking 4-5 pills is contrary to the safety directions on the package. How is that "better"?
Pharmacist: You can ask your doctor.
Pharmacist: Yes, but right now we're out. We don't get regular stock anymore. Try these pills with phenylephrine; they're better.
Me: I have tried phenylephrine. It doesn't work. It doesn't relieve my symptoms like pseudoephedrine does.
Pharmacist: Well, it's a weaker formulation. You just need to take more pills.
Me: How is it better if I have to take more pills?
Pharmacist: It's better because you have more control over your dosage.
Me: Taking 4-5 pills to get the same benefit I used to get from 1 does not seem "better" to me. Also, taking 4-5 pills is contrary to the safety directions on the package. How is that "better"?
Pharmacist: You can ask your doctor.
Now we learn that "weaker" was just bullshit for doesn't work.
