The French health agency has issued a warning against the use of certain over-the-counter cold medications due to potentially severe side effects. The medicines safety authority ANSM (l’Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé) has advised pharmacists and doctors against prescribing these drugs.
The warning, previously issued, was reiterated amid concerns that people may still be using them. These drugs can, in very rare cases, cause serious side effects worse than the original flu or cold, with an insufficient ‘benefit-risk ratio.’ The medicines are already considered harmful for individuals with certain health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, heart problems, and pregnancy.
Potential severe side effects include heart attacks and strokes, attributed to the vasoconstrictors in the drugs. The director of ANSM emphasized the low but existing risks and urged people not to use them anymore, stating, “There is no point risking a stroke for a blocked nose.”
Despite measures in place, serious effects continue, prompting authorities to work with healthcare professionals to cease the use of these medicines. Between 2012 and 2018, the national pharmacology database recorded 307 serious issues caused by these medicines. French authorities have called for people to stop taking the medicines now, ahead of the EU’s safety evaluation expected in early 2024.
Pharmacologist Jean-Paul Giroud, a vocal critic, has advocated for withdrawing these drugs from the market. The list of medicines to avoid includes Humex Rhume, Actifed Rhume, Dolirhume, Nurofen Rhume, and Rhinadvil Rhume. Alternative remedies for a blocked nose include sea salt nose sprays or inhaling steam with menthol.
