FDA: Zicam Nasal Spray Can Cause Loss Of Smell

A popular nasal medicine is being pulled from some pharmacy shelves.

The FDA put out a warning that certain products are causing some people to lose their sense of smell.

The FDA says they've received more than 130 reports that people have lost their sense of smell after taking Zicam.

They are concerned the reaction might be permanent and they are warning people to stop taking it.

A widely distributed, Zicam products could be seen in any pharmacy, retail store and even on the internet, but as of Tuesday the products may be hard to come by.

A formal notice from the FDA hasn't been distributed to pharmacies to pull certain forms of Zicam from their shelves.

But Four Star Drug in Lincoln says they're not taking any chances.

“Just verifying with the FDA website that there has been a warning issue is enough for me to say well it's time to pull the product from the shelf. We don't want to sell something that might potentially be harmful to people,” Pharmacist Debbie Hoeft said.

Pharmacist Debbie Hoeft at Four Star Drug says that meant only getting rid of a couple of boxes.

Zicam's cold remedy nasal gel and Zicam's cold remedy swabs are the products the FDA is warning consumers to stay away from.

Their warnings come after more than 130 people have complained of damage to their sense of smell, that they say is caused by Zinc which can cause damage to the nerves in your nose.

The complaints date back to 1999.

“Something with the Zinc being applied directly inside the nose seems to be what the problem is so other forms of Zinc that you take orally don't seem to be a problem so those products are still available,” Hoeft said.

The FDA says after just one dose people were experiencing a loss of their sense of smell, although some people have reported it after later doses.

Used for reducing the duration of the common cold and the severity of its symptoms, Four Star Drug says there's very few alternatives that take its place.

“Everything else generally speaking is a pill or a liquid form that you swallow rather than something that goes right in the nose but there's nothing as of right now that's really similar,” Hoeft said. 

Four Star Drug says the Zicam products will most likely be sent back to the company.

The company, who is facing lawsuits pertaining to the complaints, has already received a warning from the FDA that they need to correct any labeling violations.

TheFDA says if you have any of these products in your home throw them away!