The Dose: What the Phenylephrine?
FDA rules on phenylephrine, Social media pseudoscience, Endocrine disruptors, PFAS, and more!
Welcome to The Dose! We’re delivering bi-weekly health and science updates right to your inbox, and we’re including some humor, art, and fun along the way.
Hello and thanks for your patience - we know we missed our last volume of The Dose. We are back at it with our biweekly science round-up, and we’ve got a lot to get through! In the meantime, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel - we are recording video for all our podcasts this season and have a lot of relevant topics to share with you all.
First up: the FDA concludes that phenylephrine, a common ingredient in many over-the-counter cold medicines, is not effective as a nasal decongestant. Many of us are exclaiming, “FINALLY! We’ve known this for 20 years, what took them so long?”
To answer this, we take a trip down memory lane with Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, a hematologist/oncologist and former Chair of the FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee. We discuss the history of the FDA, the foremost focus on safety, and how the timeline of different authorities of the FDA have impacted regulatory oversight.
The TL;DR: Phenylephrine: very safe, not effective when ingested. But - VERY effective if taken as a nasal spray! Watch the full discussion here.
Speaking of regulatory oversight, the latest buzzword across the interwebs is endocrine disruption. Everywhere you turn, wellness influencers are spreading fear about everything: from your cookware, to your clothing, to your water. What’s real and what’s not?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We discuss this with 2 experts: a clinical endocrinologist and an environmental toxicologist, who also happens to be one of the foremost experts in PFAS, the current endocrine disruptor du jour. The endocrine system is very tightly regulated, and while lots of things can potentially impact it, it’s definitely not as ‘fragile’ or cut-and-dry as the “wellness world” would have you believe. Watch the full conversation here.
The world is filled with health misinformation, most of which is based on eliciting fear and anxiety. It’s a very effective marketing tactic, which is exploited by people and companies trying to prey on your emotions. This strategy isn’t new, but is accelerated by social media and media outlets, who profit by increasing the spread of these types of headlines.
We talk about this and more with Professor Tim Caulfield, an expert in health misinformation. We discuss the concept of false balance and why celebrities are viewed as experts in topics they are unqualified to speak on. As scientists, we also want to leave you with some tangible ways to help limit the harm this type of misinformation can do. You definitely want to watch this discussion!
This year’s respiratory virus season is in full swing. With TWO brand-new FDA-approved options to protect infants, those at greatest risk for severe outcomes due to respiratory syncytial virus, the demand for the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab (Beyfortus) has been off the charts. Unfortunately, that means that the current supply must be prioritized for those at highest risk. We absolutely understand the frustration - but the good news is that Sanofi is investigating partnerships with other companies to increase production. Additionally, if you are pregnant and are eligible for the RSV vaccine Abrysvo, you can consider getting that to protect your infant after birth.
Related, but COVID-19 vaccine uptake is abysmally low so far this season. Everyone 6 months and older is eligible for at least one dose of the 2023-2024 vaccine, and for some age groups, this also includes the Novavax option. Currently, only 4.9% of eligible children and 13.9% of eligible adults have received the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine. We can do better than this! If you were holding out for the holiday season, well, that time is upon you. Remember, you need at least 2 weeks to develop the minimum protection after vaccination. Find COVID-19 vaccines near you here.
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