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The Popular Over-The-Counter Cold Medicine That Science Says Doesn't Work (forbes.com)
HughPickens.com writes: Back before methamphetamine cooks started buying up non-prescription decongestants to brew crank, all of us were able to buy effective decongestants right off the store shelf without a problem. Now David DiSalvo writes at Forbes that to fill the store-shelf void, drug companies substituted the already-FDA approved ingredient phenylephrine for pseudoephedrine. But the oral decongestant phenylephrine simply doesn't work at the FDA-approved amount found in popular non-prescription brands, and it may not even work at much higher doses. Researchers at the University of Florida are asking the FDA to remove oral phenylephrine from the market. "We think the evidence supports that phenylephrine's status as a safe and effective over-the-counter product should be changed," says Randy Hatton. "We are looking out for the consumer, and he or she needs to know that science says that oral phenylephrine does not work for the majority of people."
In 1976, the FDA deemed a 10 milligram oral dose of phenylephrine safe and effective at relieving congestion, making it possible for companies to use the ingredient without conducting studies. But Leslie Hendeles and Hatton say phenylephrine does not effectively relieve nasal stuffiness at this dose. They say the FDA cited four tests demonstrating efficacy at the 10 milligram dose, two of which were unpublished and sponsored by drug manufacturers. In contrast, the FDA cited six tests demonstrating no significant difference between phenylephrine and placebo. Hendeles said a higher dose may work, but no research has been published regarding safety at higher doses. "They need to do a dose-response study to determine at what higher dose they get both efficacy and safety," says Hendeles adding that until then "consumers should go that extra step and get it (pseudoephedrine) from behind the counter."
In 1976, the FDA deemed a 10 milligram oral dose of phenylephrine safe and effective at relieving congestion, making it possible for companies to use the ingredient without conducting studies. But Leslie Hendeles and Hatton say phenylephrine does not effectively relieve nasal stuffiness at this dose. They say the FDA cited four tests demonstrating efficacy at the 10 milligram dose, two of which were unpublished and sponsored by drug manufacturers. In contrast, the FDA cited six tests demonstrating no significant difference between phenylephrine and placebo. Hendeles said a higher dose may work, but no research has been published regarding safety at higher doses. "They need to do a dose-response study to determine at what higher dose they get both efficacy and safety," says Hendeles adding that until then "consumers should go that extra step and get it (pseudoephedrine) from behind the counter."
After CMEA, I switched to oxymetazoline nasal spray, which works better than oral pseudoephedrine ever did. People say Afrin can be addictive, but I reduce risk of rebound congestion by using it in one nostril in the morning and the other at night.
Furthermore, the FBI's own stats show that the ban/restriction on pseudoephedrine has made the problem worse. Before the ban, meth was mostly a mom & pop business. For the next 2 or so years after the ban meth sales dropped, but then the mexican cartels more than filled the gap with wholesale production (like Breaking Bad style industrial manufacturing importing the raw ingredients from China) and now instead of little guys who are mostly dumbasses selling to their neighbors you've got organized crime networks all over the country.
Meanwhile I don't feel safe buying a sudofed and there are a bunch of stories of people being arrested for having bad allergies. I don't have the link handy, but the very first person arrested for buying too much was buying it for his kid.
The pharmacist already knows PE doesn't work, and these stupid rules annoy them far, far more than they annoy you.
Instead of you just walking up, grabbing what you need, and checking out... You instead have someone making $75+/hr forced to stop whatever useful task they had in progress and waste five minutes of their day to check your ID and have you sign the book, and then they need to store the book on the off chance the DEA decides to chase after allergy sufferers in your area.
Sign your life away? Is talking to a pharmacist and showing an ID really the same as "signing your life away"?
You aren't just showing ID. You have to sign a long form which if you bothered to read it, would let you know that your ID and purchase history are being supplied to Law Enforcement, and that if you attempt to purchase too much, too often, you consent to LE coming to your home and searching it. It also lets you know that purchasing it for someone else (including your wife or child) without an actual prescription is illegal and you could face jail time if caught.
The SEC is the Southeastern Conference. Joey Kennedy used to write for the Birmingham News. Don't know who the FDR character was, maybe he was in some comic book.
Just kidding, AC. You seriously need to learn a little bit of history. That single sentence you scoffed at had more insight and knowledge than a hundred regular posts here.
I wish I had some mod points, but I can't seem to get any nowadays. It's been weeks since I had any.