CVS Health, the largest pharmacy chain in the U.S., has announced that they will no longer be selling decongestants containing phenylephrine, the popular cold medicine ingredient, in their stores. This change will affect almost 9,000 CVS Pharmacy locations across the country, and is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to promoting health and safety.
The decision comes after an extensive review of the scientific literature on phenylephrine. Studies suggest that phenylephrine has minimal effects when used as a decongestant, and may have associated side-effects that could be harmful to people with certain conditions. As a result, CVS Health has determined that it is in the best interest of its customers to discontinue sales of these products.
This move is a further step forward for CVS Health, who have previously taken steps to reduce the sale of certain medications that are being misused. They also recently restricted the sale of some products containing acetaminophen, as well as other medications with potential abuse or misuse.
CVS Health’s goal is to not only provide access to innovative medications and treatments, but also ensure that their customers are making informed decisions about their own health. By discontinuing the sale of decongestants containing phenylephrine, CVS Health is helping customers make better decisions about their treatments.
The decision to no longer sell phenylephrine could have a big impact on the cold medicine market. While phenylephrine is often seen as a preferable alternative to older decongestants, it has recently been linked to issues such as rebound congestion and increased blood pressure. In response to this, many manufacturers have turned to the slightly more expensive pseudophedrine-based drugs as their preferred decongestant ingredients.
Whether the removal of phenylephrine from CVS is the first step in a larger industry trend remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the company is taking steps to make sure their customers are using the safest and most effective medications available to them.
