Advisers to the FDA have voted unanimously against the effectiveness of an ingredient commonly found in cold and allergy medications.
The ingredient phenylephrine is found in popular versions of Sudafed, Allegra, Dayquil and other medications.
They say it shows no improvement in congestion.
Drug makers reformulated their pills with phenylephrine, after a 2006 law required pseudoephedrine to be moved behind the counter.
Dr. Kevin Wong told the Big K Morning Show, the drug is often found in combination medications, which he doesn't recommend to patients.
“They each try to have a little niche with there product, a little better for this or that and that’s why it’s better to simplify it out by the plain agents so we can treat the right thing with the right agent at the right time, said Wong.
They're sometimes labeled "PE" on packaging, and make up 80 percent of the $2.2 billion market for oral decongestants.
It’s not up to the FDA whether to take it off store shelves.
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