Common Nasal Decongestant Doesn’t Work, FDA Advisers Say (1)

A panel of US regulatory advisers said phenylephrine, a main component of over-the-counter cold medicines including some versions of Procter & Gamble Co.’s Nyquil, doesn’t actually work.

The committee of 16 advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously on Tuesday that scientific evidence doesn’t prove that the nasal decongestant is effective when taken orally at recommended doses. The majority of panelists agreed that further studies to test higher doses of the drug would not be worthwhile.

The advisory committee’s decision isn’t binding, but the FDA’s own staff have also questioned phenylephrine’s efficacy. If the agency follows the ...