CVS to tug certain cold medicines from store shelves

CVS is removing among the most typical cough and cold medicines from its store shelves and can now not sell them, an organization spokesperson told CNBC on Thursday. 

The corporate’s decision comes a month after a panel of advisors to the Food and Drug Administration unanimously determined that the predominant ingredient utilized in many popular over-the-counter cold and allergy medications doesn’t actually work to clear up congested noses when taken orally. 

The FDA has not decided whether to ask drug manufacturers and retailers corresponding to CVS to remove products containing oral phenylephrine — a nasal decongestant present in versions of medicine corresponding to NyQuil, Benadryl, Sudafed and Mucinex — from the market. 

Nonetheless, CVS is voluntarily removing certain cough and cold medicines that contain phenylephrine because the only energetic ingredient from stores. 

CVS is aware of the determination made by the FDA advisors and can follow directions from the agency to be sure that products sold at the corporate’s stores comply with laws and regulations, the spokesperson said. They added that CVS stores will proceed to supply other oral cough and cold products to fulfill patient needs. 

Oral products that list phenylephrine as its only energetic ingredient include Sudafed PE, which is marketed by Johnson & Johnson’s consumer health spinoff Kenvue. Kenvue didn’t immediately reply to CNBC’s request for comment about CVS’s decision. 

The Wall Street Journal first reported on CVS’ decision Thursday.

Pulling oral phenylephrine from the market entirely could affect CVS and other retail pharmacy chains, which rake in revenue from selling over-the-counter cold and allergy pills.

Retail stores within the U.S. sold 242 million bottles of medicine containing phenylephrine last 12 months, up 30% from 2021, in response to data compiled by FDA staff. Those bottles generated $1.8 billion in sales last 12 months, the info said.

Without oral phenylephrine, patients may also likely be forced to hunt down liquid and spray versions of the drugs or entirely recent medications, which weren’t included within the review by the FDA advisors.

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