Consumers are being urged to stop using Zicam Cold Remedy nasal gel and related products (Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs for adults and kids) because they may permanently damage the user's sense of smell, according to an FDA warning issued today. Zicam products contain the element zinc, an ingredient that may permanently damage the nerves in the nose that are needed for smell. The FDA has received 130 reports of loss of smell from consumers who have used Zicam's over-the-counter products.

Categorized as a homeopathic product, Zicam Cold Remedy was not required to receive formal FDA approval prior to its launch. Matrixx Initiatives, the manufacturer of Zicam products, has not issued a formal recall yet. But now that the product's safety has been called into question, Matrixx will be required to obtain FDA approval for Zicam products in order to remain on the market.

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