An extensive review determined that the ingredient, oral phenylephrine, doesn’t actually relieve nasal congestion.

Pharmacy over the counter cold and flu medicine, NyQuil, DayQuil, Mucinex.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it is proposing a new rule to stop the use of an ingredient in popular over-the-counter cold and allergy medications.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing the removal from the market of a common ingredient found in most oral over-the-counter cold medicines because it doesn’t work.