Cold Remedies Pulled After FDA Warning
W A S H I N G T O N, Nov. 7 -- A number of major drug store chains arepulling dozens of over-the-counter cold remedies and diet pillsfrom their shelves after the government warned that an ingredientcould cause hemorrhagic strokes, especially in young women.
The Food and Drug Administration issued an unusually strongwarning Monday, telling Americans to immediately quit using drugscontaining phenylpropanolamine, or PPA, which is found Dexatrim,Tavist-D and dozens of other over-the-counter medicines. Theagency, which intends to ban the ingredient, asked manufacturersvoluntarily to stop selling PPA-containing drugs immediately and toreplace the ingredient with a safer alternative.
Rite Aid, CVS & Walgreen
Rite Aid, with 3,800 drug stores in 30 states and the Districtof Columbia, soon will begin posting warning signs and removingproducts with PPA, spokeswoman Jody Cook said.
“We would advise our customers to check with the pharmacistabout the alternatives,” she said.
CVS Pharmacy, which has 4,100 stores, and Walgreen Co., with3,200 stores, made similar announcements.
Dr. Charles Ganley, the FDA’s nonprescription drugs chief, saidbuyers should be alert for PPA in the ingredient list ofnonprescription cold relievers — both brand names and generic orstore brands — and instead choose decongestant pills with the safealternative pseudoephedrine or use nasal sprays.
Over-the-counter alternatives do not exist for diet pills,however, so dieters will have to consult doctors aboutprescription-only alternatives, Ganley said.
Some Plans Revealed
Whitehall-Robins Healthcare quit shipping PPA-containingDimetapp on Monday. New liquid Dimetapp formulas lacking PPA willhead for store shelves next week, with pill versions to follow.Also, some stores are selling PPA-containing versions of itsRobitussin-CF product, and some are selling a new non-PPA formula,in boxes flagged with a yellow band.
SmithKline Beecham Consumer Healthcare said people should notuse its PPA-containing Contac 12-hour Cold Capsules, but five otherContac versions contain the safe pseudoephedrine.
