Zicam intranasal gel / anosmia s. fuchs dc

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"Pharmacist's Letter A digest and advisory service on developments of interest to the pharmacist" (by paid subscription) ISSN #0883-0371 Vol 20 No. 3 March 2004Natural Medicine Some patients are now claiming that the cold remedy Zicam (zinc nasal gel) causes loss of smell...possibly permanently. We described this potential problem last year in our Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. The Database rates intranasal zinc "possibly Unsafe" due to this possible side effect.Now the FDA is looking into these reports ...and attorneys are putting together lawsuits. Zinc has been linked to loss of smell in the past. Intranasal zinc sulfate was tried for polio in the 1930s. About 25% of the patients lost their sense of smell... some permanently. It's thought that applying high concentrations of zinc directly to the nose might damage sensory nerves. But so far there's no proof that Zicam or other zinc nasal products can cause loss of smell.To be on the safe side, don't recommend NASAL forms of zinc. There are no reports of smell loss with the ORAL zinc lozenges. If you have a patient who has had problems with nasal zinc products, reports it to 800-FDA-1088. Notice # 200304"http://www.pharmacistsletter.com/pletters/main.asp?section=pl & sessionid=