FDA warns against adverse effect of Zicam products

I took a few days off this week but the consumer health news kept on flowing...This time the focus is on a common over-the-counter medicine used to fight congestion from colds. On June 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers to stop using three zinc-based nasal spray products marketed by Matrixx as homeopathic cold remedies because they are associated with the loss of the sense of smell (anosmia). This adverse effect can be be long-lasting or permanent, according to the FDA alert, and affects quality of life and the ability to detect dangerous odors, such as gases and smoke. The FDA says it has received more than 130 reports of the loss of the sense of smell reportedly associated with the use of three products: Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel, Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, and a now discontinued product called Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size. News reports indicate that the company settled hundreds of lawsuits over the same ill effect in 2006. The agency advises any consumers who have experienced problems with their senses of smell after using Zicam products to contact their doctors immediately. As "homeopathic" remedies that came onto the market before 1999, the products did not need FDA approval. In addition to the FDA action this week, the Federal Trade Commission is also investigating the company regarding deceptive advertising and the Better Business Bureau had urged that Zicam advertisements be toned down, according to an Associated Press report. Other nasal spray products and homeopathic remedies will likely face increased scrutiny from both the FDA and consumers in the coming months and we've not heard the end of this story...My father lost his sense of smell years ago after using a nasal spray for only a few days...so the anecdotal evidence has been out there for years...It's unfortunate that it sometimes takes our government an entire decade to react with action that protects our health from future threats.