Medicinal Combo Against Flu

As flu season arrives, so does a new over-the-counter medicine promising to relieve all the nasty symptoms at once.

Called Medi-Flu, the medicine includes the maximum allowable doses of acetaminophen, decongestant, antihistamine and cough suppressant, according to a spokesman for the manufacturer, Warner-Lambert.

“This medicine might be good for someone ‘blasted’ by the flu,” said Robert Marshall, a pharmacist and executive vice president of the California Pharmacists Assn. But it could be “overkill” for flu sufferers who do not have multiple symptoms, he added.

The best approach?

“Tell your symptoms to a pharmacist and ask his or her advice about medication,” suggests Marshall.