The Law Firm of Motley Rice LLC

Matrixx Initiatives, Inc manufactures a range of products under the Zicam name, but the name Zicam is geneally used to refer to its over-the-counter nasal zinc solution spray which aims to relieve common cold and flu symptoms.

Matrixx Initiatives also produce the following products:

Zicam™ Allergy Relief nasal gel
Zicam™ Cold Remedy nasal gel
Zicam™ Cold Remedy Swabs
Zicam™ Extreme Congestion Relief
Zicam™ Kids Size Cold Remedy Swab
Zicam™ Nasal Moisturizer
Zicam™ Sinus Relief

Zicam Safety Doubt
Zinc products do not require Food and Drug Administration pre-market approval as they are regarded as homeopathic although medical doctors have associated Zicam with a total loss of taste and smell.

During a Canadian outbreak of polio towards the end of the 1930s thousands of children were prescribed nasal zinc treatments. Not only did the treatment prove unsuccessful in stopping polio but a quarter of those who used the spray lost a range of taste and smell senses.

This reduction or loss of smell and taste faculties is known by the medical term anosmia. Like the Canadian children above some people have described a burning sensation in their nasals with a consequent loss of taste and smell directly after using Zicam.

Dr. Davidson, of the Nasal Dysfunction Clinic at the University of California, illustrated the potential dangers: "You put zinc on the olfactory receptor and you effectively kill the receptor. It's like pouring acid on an open wound."

These reports and medical opinions about the link between zinc nasal treatments and anosmia should have halted manuafacturers from producinbg products such as Zicam but, as with Matrixx Initiatives, the public has not been warned by them of the risks.

In 2006 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) started an inquiry into Matrixx Initiative’s advertising and promotion of Zicam Cold Remedy and similar products manufactured by them.

If you have any questions regarding Zicam, please contact Lynn Seithel at 843 216 9000.