Heading out for walkies this morning, I caught an announcement on the radio that the FDA was advising consumers not to use some Zicam products, as they could damage the olfactory faculties.
One of the announcers remarked that the products weren't regulated by the FDA, because they're homeopathic.
Wrong.
The products in question contain zinc, which is the problem.
The homeopathic products contain no actual zinc, and thus can have no side effects (and no primary effects either, but that's another matter).
Which brings us to the dumb-branding thing. I'd noticed before that Zicam-branded products come in two basic types: with and without active ingredients. Why, exactly, you'd want to have similarly labeled product lines that are so utterly different escapes me.
Well, maybe it's a good wheeze. Cold remedy with unproven ingredients, $10! Cold remedy with no active ingredients and no side effects, $15! Hey, maybe I should get into that business. I'm sure I could come up with an impressive-sounding list of ingredients not to include. (Outgredients?)
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