We find many Treatments for coughs, sore throats and colds: “Various medications used to relieve a cough, sometimes annoying but benign, expose one to disproportionate adverse effects,” specifies Prescrire. She therefore advises against pentoxyverine (Pentoxyverine Clarix 0.15%), oxomemazine (Toplexil or other), ambroxol (Muxol or other) and bromhexine (Bisolvon). “When a medication seems necessary to relieve sore throats in addition to measures other than medication such as drinking water or sucking sweets, paracetamol, by controlling its dosage, is the best option,” indicates the medical journal. Alpha-amylase (Maxilase or other) has no greater effect than a placebo and can cause allergic reactions.
The Spasfon pinned this time
The phloroglucinolbetter known under the commercial brand Spasfon, remains used widely and almost exclusively in France despite widespread doubts about its effectiveness. Already in the spotlight in 2023 with the publication of the book “Pink pills: ignorance in medicine” by Juliette Ferry-Danini, teacher-researcher at the University of Namur, in Belgium, Spasfon is this time highlighted in the magazine medical Prescribe, indicates Actu.fr.
Spasfon, an antispasmodic medication (which acts against contractions) is indicated in the treatment of pain in the intestine, bile ducts, bladder and uterus. Marketed by the Teva laboratory, it narrowly escapes the Prescrire blacklist, “its effectiveness being modest at best in recurrent benign intestinal disorders”. In other clinical situations, whether urinary, gynecological, biliary or digestive, there is nothing to expect from phloroglucinol beyond the effectiveness of a placebo, indicates the medical journal.
In its 2025 report, Prescrire also highlights medications used in cases of gastroenterological disorders. ” THE medicated clays used in various intestinal disorders including diarrhea, heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux, should be avoided due to their natural lead pollution », she warns. Diosmectite (Smecta or other), hydro talcite (Rennieliquo), beidellitic montmorillonite alias monmectite (Bedelix, and in combination in Gelox) and kaolin (in combination in Gastropax) are concerned. “Lead has neurological, hematological, renal and cardiovascular toxic effects, and reprotoxic effects, most of which increase with the exposure dose,” explains Prescrire.
The complete “black list” of medications according to pathologies
Here is the complete list of 88 drugs published by the magazine Prescrire and relayed by the Dépêche du Midi.
Oncology, transplants and hematology
Defibrotide (Defitelio)
No panobinostat (Farydak)
Le roxadustat (Evrenzo)
Trabectedin (Yondelis or other)
Vandetanib (Caprelsa)
La vinflunine (Javlor)
Cardiology
Bezafibrate (Befizal) and fenofibrate (Lipanthyl or other)
The Drone (Multaq)
Ivabradine (Procoralan or other)
Nicorandil (Ikorel or other)
Olmesartan (Alteis, Olmetec; and combined with hydrochlorothiazide in Alteisduo, Coolmetec; and combined with amlodipine in Axeler, Sevikar)
Trimetazidine (Vastarel or other)
Dermatology and allergology
Finasteride dosed at 1 mg (Finasteride Arrow Lab or other)
Mequitazine (Primalan)
Dermal tacrolimus (Protopic or other)
Promethazine injection (Phenergan)
A peanut seed powder containing peanut proteins (Palforzia)
Diabetology and Nutrition
Alogliptin (Vipidia; and combined with metformin in Vipdomet)
Linagliptin (Trajenta; and combined with metformin in Jentadueto)
Orlistat (Xenical or other)
Saxagliptin (Onglyza; and combined with metformin in Komboglyze)
Sitagliptin (Januvia, Xelevia or other; and combined with metformin in Janumet, Velmetia or other)
Vildagliptin (Galvus or other); and associated with metformin in Eucreas or other.
Pain and rheumatology
Aceclofenac (Cartrex or other) and diclofenac (Voltarene or other) orally
Capsaicin in patches (Qutenza)
The combination of colchicine + opium powder + tiemonium in the specialty Colchimax
Coxibs: celecoxib (Celebrex or other), etoricoxib (Arcoxia or other) and parecoxib (Dynastat)
Denosumab dosed at 60 mg (Prolia), used to fight osteoporosis.
Diacerein (Art 50), used to treat osteoarthritis
Ketoprofen gel (Ketum gel or other)
Glucosamine (Flexea), used to treat osteoarthritis
General meloxicam (Mobic or other), piroxicam (Feldène or other) and tenoxicam (Tilcotil)
Methocarbamol (Lumirelax), used as a muscle relaxant.
Romosozumab (Evenity), used to fight osteoporosis.
La quinine (Hexaquine, Okimus)
Thiocolchicoside (Miorel or other), used as a muscle relaxant.
Gastroenterology
Obeticholic acid (Ocaliva)
Medicated clays: diosmectite (Smecta or other), hydrotalcite (Rennieliquo), beidellitic montmorillonite aka monmectite (Bedelix, and in combination in Gelox) and kaolin (in combination in Gastropax)
Domperidone (Domperidone Biogaran or other), droperidol (Droleptan or other) and metopimazine (Vogalene, Vogalib or other)
Le prucalopride (Resolor)
Opium tincture (Dropizal)
Glyceryl trinitrate ointment 0.4% (Rectogésic)
Gynecology and endocrinology
Tibolone (Livial or other)
Drugs used in infectious diseases
Moxifloxacin (Izilox or other)
Neurology
Donepezil (Aricept or other), galantamine (Reminyl or other), rivastigmine (Exelo or other), used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
Fenfluramine (Fintepla).
Le Ginkgo biloba (Tanakan or other)
Memantine (Ebixa or other), used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
Le naftidrofuryl (Naftilux)
Natalizumab (Tysabri or other), used to treat multiple sclerosis.
Oxétorone (Nocertone)
Piracetam (Nootropyl or other)
Teriflunomide (Aubagio or other), used to treat multiple sclerosis.
La tolcapone (Tasmar)
Pneumology and ENT
Alpha-amylase (Maxilase or other), used to treat sore throats.
Ambroxol (Muxol or other) and bromhexine (Bisolvon), used to treat coughs.
Oral or nasal decongestants (ephedrine, naphazoline, oxymetazoline, pseudoephedrine, tuaminoheptane)
Oxomemazine (Toplexil or other) used to treat cough.
Nintedanib (Ofev)
Pentoxyverine (Pentoxyverine Clarix 0.15%) used to treat coughs.
Psychiatry and addiction
Agomelatine (Valdoxan or other), used to fight depression.
Citalopram (Seropram or other) and escitalopram (Seroplex or other), used to fight depression.
Dapoxetine (Priligy), used as a psychotropic drug.
Duloxetine (Cymbalta or other), milnacipran (Milnacipran Arrow or other) and venlafaxine (Effexor LP or other), used to fight depression.
Esketamine nasal spray solution (Spravato), used to combat depression.
Etifoxine (Stresam or other), used as a psychotropic drug.
Tianeptine (Stablon or other), used to fight depression.
Smoking cessation
Bupropione (Zyban)
urologists
Oral pentosan polysulfate (Elmiron)
Health
