CVS Health to pull decongestants with phenylephrine off shelves

U.S. pharmacy chain CVS Health said on Thursday it is pulling some of the most common decongestants with phenylephrine as the only active ingredient from its shelves and will no longer sell them.

The move comes after a panel of advisers to U.S. health regulators raised doubts over the efficacy of the ingredient.

Last month, the panel refused to back the effectiveness of oral over-the-counter (OTC) medicines made with phenylephrine, adding that no more trials were required to prove otherwise.

CVS said “other oral cough and cold products will continue to be offered to meet consumer needs.”

Phenylephrine was substituted for pseudoephedrine in many non-prescription cold and allergy medicines after the latter was restricted amid reports of abuse.

Phenylephrine is a major component used in some of popular products like Benadryl, Sudafed, GSK’s Advil and Kenvue’s Tylenol.