The American College of Chest Physicians is saying many of these products just plain do not work.
If one visits the Google news Web site mentioned in the first post and then searches for "cough medicine," one finds articles from many credible news sources. A few excerpts are included below. The bottom line: There is no clinical evidence for the effectiveness of the active ingredients dextromethorphan and guaifenesin in products such as Robitussin Maximum Strength Cough Suppressant. I probably should have been more clear and more specific in the opening post for this thread. I hope this post explains things better.
So consumers are spending huge amounts of money because they have put their faith in Walgreens, in drug companies, in the FDA, trusting that if a bottle of medicine manufactured by a drug company says "cough suppressant," it will ease their coughing. Those consumers are being cheated.
Drug companies profit, because they know consumers want to believe these products work, and because most will continue to believe they work even if presented with the fact that there is no evidence that they work.
The following is taken directly from the American College of Chest Physicians Web site (as a new poster I'm not allowed to include the link, but it contains chestnet and org), after navigating to the organization's latest press release:
OTC Cough Medication
The guidelines also stress that most over-the-counter cough expectorants or suppressants, including cough syrups and cough drops, do not treat the underlying cause of the cough. Therefore, the guidelines recommend that for adults with acute cough or upper airway cough syndrome (previously named postnasal drip syndrome), an older variety antihistamine with a decongestant is the preferred therapy.
“There is no clinical evidence that over-the-counter cough expectorants or suppressants actually relieve cough,” said Dr. Irwin. “There is considerable evidence that older type antihistamines help to reduce cough, so, unless there are contraindications to using these medicines, why not take something that has been proven to work?”
Here's how an article from UPI began:
Doctors say cough medicine doesn't work
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Chest experts say over-the-counter cough syrup doesn't work.
The American College of Chest Physicians says most over-the-counter cough expectorants or suppressants do not work to treat the underlying cause of the cough.
Here's how the Chicago Tribune article began:
Spoonful of cold reality
The American College of Chest Physicians on Monday revealed an open secret in the medical community: Over-the-counter cough suppressants don't work, they say, casting doubt on the billions spent every year to fight the common cold's most irritating symptom.
My question is this:
How, exactly, is the sale of unproven cough suppressants any more ethical than the sale of unproven homeopathic remedies?
