CVS removes popular cough and cold medicines from store shelves

CVS on Thursday removed some popular oral cough and cold medicines from its stores. This decision comes after a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel concluded last month that the active ingredient 'phenylephrine' in these products is not effective.

"We are voluntarily removing certain oral cough and cold products that contain phenylephrine as the only active ingredient from CVS Pharmacy stores. Other oral cough and cold products will continue to be offered to meet consumer needs." CVS spokesperson

The decision was made unanimous by 16 members of the FDA's Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee (NDAC) that oral phenylephrine, a component found in common medications like Sudafed, Mucinex, Vicks, Allegra, and Dayquil, does not effectively provide relief from nasal congestion. FDA has further clarified that these cold medicines do not violate any safety concerns associated with the use of oral phenylephrine at the recommended dose.


CVS has chosen to remove these products in alignment with the FDA's direction to ensure compliance with all laws and regulations.

FDA has also stated that the removal of respective drugs from the store's shelves only pertains to orally administered phenylephrine and not the nasal spray form. Some products contain phenylephrine alongside another active ingredient, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, which effectively address symptoms like headaches or muscle aches.

The FDA in its September release clarified that the presence of phenylephrine in these combination products does not affect the functionality of the other active ingredients.

The FDA recommended that consumers carefully read the drug facts label on medications to understand their ingredients, along with important warnings and usage instructions.

While the FDA has not yet declared oral phenylephrine as ineffective, CVS has taken proactive steps. Walgreens is closely monitoring the situation and collaborating with its Office of Clinical Integrity and suppliers on the next steps, as stated by a Walgreens spokesperson.

The FDA has also issued a consumer alert, highlighting the availability of alternative products that effectively treat symptoms other than congestion