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Zicam Recall: Side Effects of Cold Remedy Include Loss of Smell
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by Jordan Yerman | June 16, 2009 at 10:45 am
4283 views | 22 Recommendations | 12 comments
The FDA has recalled Zicam, a cold remedy sold as nasal gel, swabs, and kid-size swabs. All three products should be discarded: continued use can damage your sense of smell, perhaps permanently.
The FDA warned the three products could cause anosmia, the loss of sense of smell, which "may be long-lasting or permanent."
Trading of shares of Matrixx Initiatives (MTXX), which makes Zicam, has been stopped after stock plunged 55%.
However, users have been reporting loss of the sense of smell for the past ten years, but no action was taken until now: marketed as a "remedy" rather than as a "drug", Zicam was not subject to FDA approval.
About 130 consumers since 1999 have reported a loss of smell after using Zicam products. Many said the condition occurred after their first dose, the FDA said.
Matrixx asserts that these claims are false, but acknowledges that several lawsuits have been brought against the company over the years.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (12)
at 11:24 on June 16th, 2009
I am a person who has suffered as a result of Zicam. I have parosmia/phantosmia. Smells are distorted and I hallucinate foul odors. I have to go out of state for a doctor to treat this. I am thrilled after all these years that the FDA has finally made this decison....it is long over due. The makers of Zicam have just been smug about the whole thing. Justice is being done ! YEA !!!!!
at 12:51 on June 16th, 2009
Ridiculous.
Zicam is a school teacher’s friend in the winter months.
I wouldn’t be surprised if drug companies who sell antibiotics are behind this one.
While a cold and sinus infection are not the same, a cold gone unchecked can turn into a sinus infection often.
I think it is a scam on the part of the drug companies.
at 17:39 on June 16th, 2009
I totally agree with this teacher. This is a great product I have been using it for years and have had no problems. The FDA is also the same people telling us that it's o.k. to vaccinate your children at which further on down the road they are finding out that this is a major cause for autism and other health issues with our children today. The FDA is attacking this product because it works so well. They can't make any money off of you if your healthy so they want to pump you full of their crap to keep you coming back for more. Next thing that they will attack is Airborne this product to works well for shortening the duration of the common cold,but "look out" it's natural so by FDA standards is bad for you.
at 05:22 on June 21st, 2009
My sentiments exactly! Whenever a non-prescription treatment comes down the pike that does a better job than any prescribed chemical concoction, then all the "legal" drug lords start crawling out of the woodwork to discredit the product.
at 23:18 on June 16th, 2009
i think this post is really informative.these drugs available in the market are really harmful for health and as shown here they can damage your smelling sense...thanks for posting this and making people aware.
at 08:23 on June 17th, 2009
I have also lost my sense of smell to a great extent. I had attributed it to cholesterol lowering meds but admit I have used Zinc Lozenges over the years (Cold-eze) and have recommended them since I am a pharmacist. I am at a lost as to what has caused it but have only used the lozenges and not the gel. I only use them perhaps once a year for a day or two and could not tell you when I started but probably when Cold-eze first came out. Does anyone know when that was? Sometimes it can be good not to smell when you have to enter a public bathroom but I would rather have it back !
at 13:34 on June 17th, 2009
Just to be clear, this warning is about the Zicam products that goe in your nose: The nasal gel spray, the nasal swabs, the kids nasal swabs. It's NOT about the losenges or any other Zicam product. My old doctor swears by zinc losenges and I have used both losenges and Zicam products for some time. I will continue to use the losenges and throat spray (if I can stomach it-blech), but will no longer use the swabs. My senses are too important to risk because of conspiracy theories about drug companies and the government, founded or not.
at 15:29 on June 17th, 2009
Phil. You really have absolutely no clue about why or what makes you believe the things that you do. Take a breeze through some social psychological journals and find out just how easy it is for anyone, let alone a massively powerful company or gov't administration to influence what you believe, and in turn, do. Do some serious research and stop being a mindless animal.
at 15:30 on June 17th, 2009
I apologize P
at 19:08 on June 18th, 2009
I have been using zicam nasal products since they were 1st marketed. I have experienced an increase in the ability to smell. I do not over use them and have never had a problem. I swear by them. I never get a cold or sinus infection anymore.
I started using their decongestant a month ago and I have marvelous results from ear pressure. According to my pharmacist he said not to use the decongestant more than 2-3 days in row then stop for several days to a week and he advised not to over use this type of product.
I don't think that enough tests were done, 130 people comparitively could be caused by some other coincidence or predispostion. I hope this doesn't cause the company to cut quality control due to costs.
at 13:49 on June 22nd, 2009
Zicam is a wonderful product. Zinc is an awesome anti-fungal and antibacterial! The body needs it for many enzymatic activities. It seems that the makers of Zicam must be making too much money and the FDA wants it's share no matter what it has to do . This is just the beginning of government taking away our choices in health care. If the natural supplement works, but it can not be patented, the government will find away to get rid of it. Even if it has to make up bogus side effects.
Gee, at least loss of smell is not as bad as the side effect of heart failure or liver failure or kidney failure, which has been the result of many patented drugs approved by the FDA.
God forbid we as Americans start caring for our selves preventatively, with unpatented natural supplements, to avoid having to visit the medical doctor and end up on antibiotics or other patented drugs.
at 17:45 on June 29th, 2009
I just found this interesting site about health problems and the loss of taste and smell from which some Zicam users have suffered. There is also important safety information here:
http://www.zicam-smell-loss-lawyer.com/