FDA: Get Off Smell-Killing Zicam Nasal Spray, Now

The Food and Drug Administration is calling on consumers to stop using Zicam nasal treatments because they can permanently kill the sense of smell, the Wall Street Journal reports. Zicam is an over-the-counter cold and allergy medication sold in several forms; customers should reject internasal products that contain zinc. The initiative comes after the agency received more than 130 reports of loss of smell.

Shares of Matrixx, which makes Zicam, dropped 56% on the news; the company faces lawsuits. The FDA initiative doesn’t include Zicam tablets, “rapid melts,” and liquid products.
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