Stop Using Zicam Nasal Products, (Children and Adult Formulas)

http://www.health.mil/Press/Release.aspx?ID=767
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
FDA Warning: Stop Use of Zicam Nasal Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised consumers to stop use of three intranasal over-the-counter cold remedies containing zinc after receiving more than 130 reports of loss of sense of smell (anosmia) associated with the products.

The products are:

* Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel
* Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs
* Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size

The Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size product has already been discontinued. The maker of Zicam products, Mattrixx Initiatives of Scottsdale, Ariz., has not recalled these products.

Loss of sense of smell can affect one’s personal safety and quality of life. Many people reported to FDA that the loss of sense of smell occurred with the first-time use of the product.

Please consult a health care professional if you experience any loss of sense of smell or other problems after using intranasal cold remedies containing zinc, including Zicam products. FDA also requests reporting of these problems to the agency’s MedWatch program (see below).

The health of the men and women in uniform and their families, as well as the health of our retirees and their families, is important to the Department of Defense. These products are sold over-the-counter and DoD has no record of who may have purchased or is using these products.

Please see FDA.gov for more information on intranasal Zicam products.

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm166834.htm

FDA MedWatch 1-800-FDA-1088 (tel)