Following the confirmation by a Food and Drug Administration advisory group that the active chemicals in the majority of America’s decongestive “medicines” are ineffective, CVS is voluntarily pulling over-the-counter cough and cold treatments from its shelves.

Government experts who studied the most recent study on the long-questionable medicinal ingredients concluded that millions of people who use prescriptions like Sudafed, Dayquil, and others that are offered on store shelves to treat stuffy noses might as well be consuming fake pills.

A federal list of medications deemed effective for over-the-counter pills and liquids includes the main ingredient in Sudafed, Mucinex, Allegra, Dayquill, and all the best-selling decongestants. Last month, 16 members of the FDA’s Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee unanimously voted against the efficacy of oral phenylephrine.

Tylenol for severe daytime and nighttime colds and flu also contains phenylephrine.

The panel concluded that although the items are safe, they have little effect on nasal congestion.

A CVS representative declared on Thursday that the phenylephrine-containing medications are no longer offered in CVS locations across the country.

“We are voluntarily removing certain oral cough and cold products that contain phenylephrine as the only active ingredient from CVS Pharmacy stores,” a CVS spokesperson announced Thursday. “Other oral cough and cold products will continue to be offered to meet consumer needs.

“We are aware of the FDA Advisory Committee’s position on oral phenylephrine (PE) and will follow direction from the FDA to ensure products we sell comply with all laws and regulations.”

In the wake of CVS’s decision to remove the medications, the FDA has not made any decisions about the efficacy or distribution of the product.

Rather, the organization advises customers to examine the labels and form their own opinions regarding the medication’s efficacy.

“Consumers should always read the drug fact label to determine which ingredients are in a medication, as well as important warnings and directions for use,” the agency said. “Work closely with manufacturers to reformulate products as needed to help ensure availability of safe and effective products to treat symptoms of colds or allergies.”

Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, and other pharmaceutical companies would have to remove their phenylephrine-containing oral medications from store shelves if the FDA follows the advice of its advisory panel. This would force customers to switch to either phenylephrine-based nasal sprays and drops or over-the-counter pseudoephedrine products.

The group of government advisors cautions that if the FDA were to make only drops and nasal sprays available, it would have to collaborate with pharmacies, doctors, and other healthcare professionals to inform patients about their alternative options for managing congestion.

The committee informed the FDA that it is not feasible to study phenylephrine at greater doses due to the possibility of raising blood pressure to potentially dangerous levels.

The typical cold “medications” are still available at Rite Aid and Walgreens.

A representative for the massive pharmacy chain told FOX Business that executives at Walgreens are “closely monitoring the situation and actively partnering with the Walgreens Office of Clinical Integrity and suppliers on appropriate next steps.”

After researchers at the University of Florida petitioned the FDA to remove nearly all phenylephrine products due to multiple recent studies showing they did not perform better than placebo pills in patients with cold and allergy congestion, the FDA gathered its outside advisers to review phenylephrine.

Does anyone else have a feeling that those drugs may be able to cheaply fight the next round of scamvid19?