Rite Aid will continue to keep products containing phenylephrine on its shelves, at least for now, a spokesperson tells ABC.
“Rite Aid follows guidance from regulatory authorities, including the FDA, and is committed to providing convenient access to safe, approved products to meet the health needs of our customers,” Rite Aid said in a statement. “Our pharmacists are happy to advise customers on over-the-counter solutions to relieve cold symptoms and other illnesses.”
The decision comes after an independent advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said phenylephrine, a popular ingredient in these drugs, is ineffective when taken orally.
However, Rite Aid said they will comply if the FDA ultimately decides it is advisable to remove products containing this ingredient from the market.
NOTE: The video in the media player is from a previous report. Below is a previous report
CVS has already said it will remove the products from its stores, while Walgreens remains on hold, leaving federal regulators to make a final decision.
“We are removing certain oral cough and cold products that contain phenylephrine as the sole active ingredient from CVS Pharmacy stores,” a CVS spokesperson said in a statement to CNN on Thursday.
The company will continue to sell other “oral cough and cold products” to “meet consumer needs,” the statement continued.
“We are aware of the FDA Advisory Committee’s position on oral phenylephrine (PE) and will follow FDA’s guidance to ensure that the products we sell comply with all laws and regulations,” CVS’ statement said.
CNN reached out to other retail pharmacies to see if they are planning similar actions.
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While the FDA has determined that the ingredient is safe to use, many doctors have questioned the effectiveness of phenylephrine for years. According to FDA data presented to the Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee during the committee’s two-day meeting in September, these products generated nearly $1.8 billion in sales last year alone.
Last month, the advisory committee voted no on the specific question: “Do the current scientific data presented support that the dosage of oral phenylephrine presented in the monograph is effective as a nasal decongestant?”
The FDA told the committee it would consider their advice, but did not provide a timeline. The agency has not made a final decision regarding phenylephrine and has not required manufacturers or retail pharmacies to remove products containing the ingredient from store shelves.
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association, which represents manufacturers of over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements as well as consumer medical devices and opposes the change, previously said in a statement that it was disappointed with the committee’s decision.
The group encouraged the FDA, before making any regulatory changes, to “consider the totality of evidence supporting this long-standing OTC ingredient and the significant negative unintended consequences associated with a potential change in the regulatory status of oral PN.” are.” “
A CHPA spokesman, Logan Ramsey Tucker, said in a statement to CNN on Thursday: “Until the FDA decides on the committee’s recommendation, oral PE remains a Category 1 OTC ingredient that is generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE ).”
CNNW contributed to this report.