Colds are horrible but Consumer NZ says you are better off with old-school remedies.

Medsafe has been asked to investigate after New Zealand's consumer watchdog found most cold and flu medications are a waste of money.

Consumer NZ looked at more than 50 over-the-counter cold and flu medications before concluding they are often no more effective than rest, honey, and paracetamol.

Chief executive Sue Chetwin said the over-the-counter medications – some costing up to $30 – contained ingredients for whose efficacy there was little to no good evidence.

DEAN KOZANIC/FAIRFAX NZ Medsafe has been asked to investigate after New Zealand's consumer watchdog found most cold and flu medications are a waste of money.

"Consumers who buy a product that says it will clear their nose and ease their cough should be able to expect there's consistent evidence to support the claim. But that's not the case with many cold and flu products."

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There was more convincing evidence that medicine cabinet staples such as paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin had more power to stop the symptoms of colds and flus, such as aches and discomfort.

CHRIS COAD/STUFF Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin says costly cold and flu meds are a have.

Some nasal sprays appeared able to ease blocked noses, Chetwin said.

"We have asked Medsafe to review the effectiveness and marketing of these ingredients. Like any product, cold and flu remedies should be true to label, and do what they say they'll do."

The New Zealand Self-Medication Industry Association spoke out against the findings, with executive director Scott Milne saying the organisation strongly disagreed with Consumer NZ's findings, and its assertion that further evidence for the effectiveness of certain ingredients was needed.

The association is the PR representative for major manufactures Reckitt Benckiser and Bayer. Both use common nasal decongestant phenylephrine in their products.

Milne said all over-the-counter cough and cold medicines were registered with Medsafe, which held all the evidence required on the safety and efficacy of all ingredients.

"Consumers may, therefore, be assured that registration by Medsafe means that the available evidence has been clinically assessed as acceptable for safety, quality and efficacy under the Medicines Act."

He argued that, although many of the ingredients in some of the medicines mentioned were developed a long time ago, there was no reason to conclude the products did not work.

"Consumers can continue to use over-the-counter cough and cold medicines with confidence."

A Bayer New Zealand spokesman said every product was "strictly regulated for quality, safety and efficacy in New Zealand and many other countries around the world".

Many of the products identified by Consumer NZ had a combination of ingredients to provide maximum solutions to a person's symptoms, he said. "A single ingredient within a combination should not be judged to provide the overall outcome of efficacy."





Medsafe said it had received correspondence from Consumer, and was considering it.

Group manager Chris James said it was aware the United States Food and Drug Administration was currently reviewing the use of phenylephrine in cough and cold products, and Medsafe awaited the outcome of that review.







"Most of the active ingredients in cough and cold medicines have been available for many years and are generally considered by regulatory authorities around the world to be safe and effective.



"The results, to date, of investigations into the safety and efficacy of phenylephrine and [over-the-counter] cough medicines do not materially alter the positive benefit-risk balance of these medicines."

