Sudafed, Nurofen and Day & Night Nurse could all be banned
Health chiefs have said household drugs such as Sudafed could be pulled from shelves because of their links to extremely rare brain disorders.
It is one of the number of drugs that could be binned after a small number of patients have been struck down with rare conditions.
Medical regulators are ‘reviewing available evidence’ to see if the rules on selling pseudoephedrine need to change, it has been reported by the Pharmaceutical Journal.
Bosses are set to make a decision due to a number of patients being struck down with two rare conditions – both of which can cause strokes.
It followed ‘concerns about the risk of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS)’.
PRES and RCVS can involve reduced blood supply (ischaemia) to the brain and may cause major and life-threatening complications in some cases.Â
Signs of PRES often include headaches, vision problems, mental changes, seizures, and swelling in the brain, according to the NHS.
The drug has been linked to a number of rare brain conditions (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)
The household drugs could be taken off store shelves (Credits: Getty Images)
A severe ‘thunderclap’ headache is the hallmark sign of RCVS and it may be the only symptom.
Pseudoephedrine is already known to pose a slight risk to the heart including strokes and heart attacks.
Other decongestants, such as products made by Benylin, Nurofen and Day & Night Nurse, would also be affected if any change was necessary.
Dozens of own-brand remedies — including ones at Boots and Lloyds — also contain the chemical.
The decongestant works by narrowing swollen blood vessels in the sinuses — which causes the nose to become blocked in the first place.
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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which polices the safety of drugs used in Britain, is behind the review.
A spokesperson said: ‘We will provide any further advice as appropriate. If people have concerns, they should speak to their pharmacist or doctor.’Â
Westminster sources told MailOnline it was possible but unlikely that pseudoephedrine will be subject to a rule change following the review.
Bosses at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched their own review into the safety of the medicine less than a fortnight ago.
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The decongestant works by narrowing swollen blood vessels in the sinuses — which causes the nose to become blocked in the first place.Â
