End of over-the-counter sales of anti-colds? “It’s a shame to run the risk of having a heart attack for a simple cold,” agrees a doctor

“A well-treated cold lasts seven days and if left untreated, it lasts a week,” quips the doctor who advises using physiological serum and paracetamol rather than taking unnecessary risks.

“It’s a shame to run the risk of having a stroke or a heart attack over a simple cold,” approves Friday November 22 on franceinfo Doctor Jean-Paul Hamon, general practitioner and honorary president of the Federation of Doctors of France (FMF). The National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) is calling for an end to the over-the-counter sale of anti-cold medications in pharmacies, which have been accused for several years of causing serious side effects such as strokes and heart attacks.

Actifed, Dolirhume, Rhinadvil, Humex all have in common that they contain the pseudoephedrine molecule which “leads to vasoconstriction which narrows blood vessels and puts people who have these risk factors at risk of cardiovascular disease”explains the doctor.

“The first principle in medicine is that the cure should not be worse than the disease.”

Jean-Paul Hamon, general practitioner

at franceinfo

“Even if these accidents are very rare, it’s still a shame to risk it to clear your nose,” he adds. “Especially since you can clean your nostrils with physiological serum and take a little paracetamol if you have a headache”he recommends. He reminds “A well-treated cold lasts seven days and if left untreated, it lasts a week”he quips. “It’s still a shame to risk having a severe stroke when with a little physiological serum and paracetamol it works”he insisted.

The National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) had already warned last year of the dangerousness of these drugs. But nothing has changed. “It’s Francecowardly Jean-Paul Hamon, fatalist. There is also the weight of the pharmaceutical industry which wishes to sell their products”.