Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, U.S., August 29, 2020.
REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 12 (Reuters) - An outside panel of experts to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday refused to back the effectiveness of oral over-the-counter (OTC) medicines made with phenylephrine, an ingredient widely used in cold and cough syrups.
The panel unanimously voted against the effectiveness of orally administered phenylephrine as a nasal decongestant, adding that no more trials were required to prove otherwise.
The FDA usually follows the recommendations of its expert panel but is not obligated to do so.
Phenylephrine was substituted for pseudoephedrine in many non-prescription cold and allergy medicines after the latter was restricted amid reports of abuse.
Persons:
Andrew Kelly, Jennifer Schwartzott, Phenylephrine, Mariam Sunny, Devika
Organizations:
Food and Drug Administration, FDA, REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, GSK, Thomson
Locations:
White Oak , Maryland, U.S, United States, Bengaluru