Sniffles, Sneezes and Snake Oil
by
Sam Loschiavo
As soon as the weather turns cold, radio, television, newspapers and magazines become plugged with ads for cough and cold remedies. Desperate cold sufferers looking for relief cough up billions of dollars for some magic elixir that will ease their miseries. There's only one problem. None of them will cure coughs or colds, but a few may relieve symptoms temporarily. Controlled scientific studies show that most of the so-called remedies have no proven benefit except a monetary one for the companies that produce them.
But the power of advertising is so great that millions of people are convinced that they are being helped by these products. They are influenced by phrases like 'extra strength', 'specially formulated', and 'contains the ingredient most recommended by doctors'. Some ads are audacious enough to claim that a single cold remedy can treat every symptom. This claim is based on the fact that the remedies include a witch's brew of compounds that reduce fever and pain: decongestants, expectorants, anti-cough medications, antihistamines and vile-smelling, awful tasting concoctions. Some people are convinced that some of these remedies actually help them, but it is more likely a placebo effect.
Ingredients that really help to reduce fever and relieve headaches associated with a cold are acetylsalicic acid (ASA) and acetominophen. But only ASA has antiinflammatory activity. When buying ASA, people should go for the least expensive brand. ASA dressed in the tuxedo of a brand name does not improve its effectiveness.
So-called decongestants do not remove mucous congestion. They should be more accurately defined as vaso constrictors. Expectorants are said to loosen lung secretions, thereby making them easier to cough up, but controlled studies have not demonstrated any benefit. In fact, some of them can cause lung irritation. Antihistamines tend to dry secretions. There is no evidence that they can relieve cold symptoms, but they do have some efficacy in treating allergies like hay fever, and inducing sleep in some people.
There are products that imply that you will have a good night's sleep, but no wonder. They contain up to 25% alcohol. In the 1940s and 50s, a product called Hadacol was promoted in the U.S.A., complete with a medicine show. It was an elixir of B-vitamins, minerals, hydrochloric acid, honey and, guess what? 12% alcohol! It promised that "it was good for what ailed you" if what ailed you was what Hadacol was good for. People with holes in their shoes would buy it. In 1959 more than 20 million bottles were sold. Perhaps the alcohol content had something to do with its popularity.
Anti-cough medicines that contain dextromethopran and codeine have shown some effectiveness in suppressing coughs and acting as sedatives. Combination products make no medical sense because there is no need to treat symptoms that do not exist. In fact, some of the ingredients may counteract one another.
Certain cough syrups that taste vile have been around so long that the name generates trust, but people should keep in mind that bad taste is no guarantee of good medicine. Some of the better tasting ones imply that they are safe and effective for babies. Actually, they are ineffective and should not be given to babies. This kind of advertising is irresponsible.
Compounds that are rubbed on the chest or inhaled and touted as soothing and beneficial can act more as irritants. Some advertising is true. Mouth washes can indeed kill millions of germs, but the truth in advertising stops there. These germs are not the viruses that cause colds. The mouth washes do not prevent or cure colds or sore throats, and may contain irritants. The old-fashioned treatment of gargling with salt water is our best bet, and it has the added benefit of being non-irritating and inexpensive.
What about herbal products? Practitioners of herbal medicine use expressions like "best information from leading scientific research", "proven track records", and so on, without giving the sources in their advertisements, or whether the sources are accredited by the reputable scientific community or universities. Does anyone know the meaning of the word adaptogen? The literature on herbal products is full of carefully worded phrases like "helpful for acute viral attacks", or "powerful weapons that can deal with, and often defeat, viral invaders", or "combined with other natural therapies and healthy life styles, these herbs supercharge your immune system". A favourite word is "may". Lawyers are paid well to ensure that their clients' claims can stand up to court challenges. What is sorely needed in the burgeoning herbal product industry are carefully designed and controlled experiments by reputable scientists not associated with the industry to objectively evaluate the efficacy of herbal products.
It appears that government departments set up to protect the health of consumers are unable to keep up. Spokespersons for the proprietary medicine industry say that governments have the results of their research studies. The government says that the studies are confidential. The companies won't release them to the public a classic Catch-22 situation. What is needed is a nation-wide concerted effort by the public and by consumer associations to lobby for stronger laws to protect consumers against misleading, deceptive, and sometimes fraudulent advertisements and claims about many products in the marketplace. Meanwhile, we can help ourselves by refusing to buy useless cold remedies that clutter the shelves of pharmacies and supermarkets. The old saw, "Let the buyer beware" is apropos.