U.S. tells Zicam maker to stop selling some products

U.S. tells Zicam maker to stop selling some products

www.reuters.com

WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators warned Matrixx Initiatives (MTXX.O) on Tuesday to stop selling zinc-containing, intranasal versions of its Zicam cold remedy after more than 130 reports of people losing their sense of smell.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also urged consumers to stop taking the over-the-counter products, agency officials said on a conference call with reporters.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is yet another story that drives me crazy. The Government says 130 people have lost their sense of smell so they announce that nobody should buy this product. As far as I can see they haven't even confirmed this on their own. I would suspect that something that has been around as long as this would have drew their attention much sooner if it was really this bad for you. They are in essence destroying this company with their edict. Nobody will want to take a chance using this product now.

www.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Nothing but stupidity because prescribe nasal steroid sprays can also cause lost of smell.

And they are FDA approved.

reply to post by Yetichi


It is actually quite easy to understand if you have been watching the financial melt down blossom. If any company isn't going along with the new game plan they are OUT. There has been numerous companies and even some smaller bank's/credit union's that have been flat out "turned over" to the larger company in the same field that is playing by the new ruler's game book.
To be honest closing them up over 130 people is outrageous, there are pharmaceutical companies who have done damage thousand's of time's worse. The difference is that they pay the right people to keep the poison on the shelf.Matrixx Initiatives obviously forgot to do that.

reply to post by Yetichi


Actually, I'm more concerned that the FDA didn't do more extensive testing BEFORE such a product was released.

reply to post by xoxo stacie


Another thing, zinc is well know as a supplement that clean arteries, I don't know if the nasal spray can do anything about that but that could be a problem for the pharma industry as well.



[edit on 16-6-2009 by marg6043]

So they tell this manufacturer to stop using a product ...because......130 people over the several years this product has been on the market claim to have lost their sense of smell????

Look at how completely idiotic this is!!!!! they are stopping this but cigarettes are ok even though they know for a fact that cigarettes cause cancer....confirmed by their own studies!!!! WTF!!!

As well as alcohol!!!!!

Yep it's a fact...our Government is run by complete IDIOTS!!!

The problem as I see it, is that the product must had worked to well. People were getting over their colds too soon and the big med companies were lossing money

[edit on 16-6-2009 by lost in the midwest]

Originally posted by marg6043
reply to post by xoxo stacie

 

Another thing, zinc is well know as a supplement that clean arteries, I don't know if the nasal spray can do anything about that but that could be a problem for the pharma industry as well.

[edit on 16-6-2009 by marg6043]

It is also an incredible immune boosting mineral known for years. It will reduce your sick time by half.

How ridiculous.

I use the product for years now and i havent lost any sense of smell.

I know whats wrong. Its the fact that IT WORKS!!!!

Sales are probably skyrocketing and big pharma dont like it.

Originally posted by lost in the midwest
The problem as I see it, is that the product must had worked to well. People were getting over their colds too soon and the big med companies were lossing money

[edit on 16-6-2009 by lost in the midwest]

That is exactly right. My brother recently talked to some pharm test dummies. (At Universities, you can make some extra money taking experimental drugs!) The researchers have to report everything whether it is related or not. If you are on a test med, and you get hit by a car and killed. That is 1 trial death! If you play too much basketball on Saturday, and you go for your checkup on Monday, that is 1 case of muscle cramps!

Our testing procedures are ludicrous anyway!

130 cases of smelling loss, which is impossible to confirm, and probably with underlying conditions like a Coke habit, out of hundreds of millions of unaffected users???

This is a strongarm tactic to get something they want out of this company. Someone will be getting a campaign contribution, or some big pharma company will soon be buying up Zicam's company.

I haven't used the nasal spray, but the throat spray and the lozenges. I don't enjoy anything up my nose; however, my wife uses the nasal spray.

I must say that even since using Zicam I do not experience colds even remotely near the frequency with which I did before using the product, and when I do get a cold, it goes incredibly quickly. I'd say pre-Zicam, I would get 4-6 colds per year (I live in an environment with a fluctuating climate). Post-Zicam, 1, 2 colds per year at most, and for half the duration.

Something's weird. Stock up on Zicam I guess.

Edit: The mandate ONLY applies to the nasal spray; lozenges, throat spray won't be affected.

[edit on 16-6-2009 by Elepheagle]

Reminiscent of the case against Airborne, no?

en.wikipedia.org...(dietary_supplement)

From the Wiki with the broken linky:

"Airborne is a dietary supplement and health formula created by a school teacher, which contains herbal extracts, amino acids, antioxidants, electrolytes, synthetic vitamins, and other ingredients, and can be purchased in many U.S. retail stores over-the-counter in three different forms: tablet, chewable lozenge, or powder.

It has been accused by the FTC of using false advertising[1] in its marketing and making unproven claims[2] that it could help ward off harmful bacteria and germs and help prevent the flu and the common cold. It has therefore been the subject of class action lawsuits and settlements. In addition to previous settlements including over $23 million in early 2008, Airborne paid an additional $7 million settlement on December 16, 2008 as part of charges that it made unproven claims to cure or prevent illness.[2] There are no studies supporting Airborne's effectiveness that meet scientific standards."

"The ingredients in Airborne include: Vitamins A, C, & E, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, Sodium, Potassium, and an herbal blend with Echinacea and a variety of other herbs."

The FTC's complaint about this EEEVIL, conniving snake oil sales(wo)man (and rumored second grade teacher):
www.ftc.gov...

Class Action Settlement info from 2008:
www.airbornehealthsettlement.com...

[edit on 16-6-2009 by antisocialbutterfly]

reply to post by ProfEmeritus


Beyond their scope.

Don't worry, you'll be FINE once Codex Alimentarius is in full effect and the government can make those difficult health supplement decisions for you- in your best interest, of course.

;-)

[edit on 16-6-2009 by antisocialbutterfly]

FDA does not forbid to produce this thing totally. They just forbid to produce it as long as manufacture does not undergo through tests showing its safety/toxicity. Manufacturer did not had to do it because it is not medicine as far as law definition goes.
150 confirmed cases of loss of smell is totally justifying it , in my opinion. Steroids are much worse, decongestants are almost surely much much worse- but there is a TON of proven information about their numerous side effects.
There is none as far as Zicam goes. Maybe it hurts smell sense in 50 percent? Maybe in 0.00001 percent? Nobody knows since no tests were done, and it is responsibility of the manufacturer. So i see FDA desicion as justified.
Codex alimentarious or whatever, there are a lot possibly harmful stuff that is not tested (like GM food by the way). Snake poison is also 100 percent natural however i would argue about its safety.

As an aside, for those that might be interested... whenever I want to learn the dirt on any new drug being pushed by BigPharma(tm), I visit the 'Company Boards' section of CafePharma:

www.cafepharma.com...

...and, as a guilty pleasure, I often peruse random topics there just for giggles.

I know this is just conspiracy talk.... but I wonder what the Codex Alimentarium has to say about zinc-containing products?

Perhaps it is a threat to BigPharma revenue flow...

I just realized Zicam is also a big advertiser on Rush Limbaugh's show. The conspiracy that the Obama administration may have orded this done to Zicam because they advertise on Rush's show was just too good to pass up.

Wait wait wait.

They can't sell their product because it needs to be thoroughly tested, but they can administer, without consent, a swine flu vaccine that is completely untested?

I'm no M.D or genius, but how the hell can a chemical that causes even 1 in a hundred users to lose their smell still be allowed by the FDA? The common cold does not, and will not ever have an answer other than time and patience. Ppl in the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries didn't use Zicam and they got better. Life goes on. For cryin out loud, we don't need to snort Zinc to be free from congestion ppl. I think this is sick. There are lots of reports of ppl being permanently "smell crippled". This isn't cool. This is free enterprise run amuck. C'mon guys.

If having a cold warrants snorting or ingesting large quantities of Zinc then there's a problem in the commercial market. A cold remedy should not result in a loss of one of your senses.

I understand the business side of the issue, but ppl are being crippled here. Can we please go back to soup and Afrin and everyone can smell?

[edit on 15-1-2010 by spinalremain]