Retailers Pull Cold Drugs on FDA Warning

Drug retailers voluntarily pulled cold remedies and weight-loss aids from stores Tuesday after U.S. regulators linked a drug ingredient with strokes, but some companies decided to not immediately act on the warning.

The substance, phenylpropanolamine, is found in dozens of over-the-counter products with household names. The Food and Drug Administration warned Monday that the ingredient, known as PPA, was linked to “very rare” cases of strokes in adults, particularly women, under age 50. The FDA asked drug companies to voluntarily take it off their shelves.

Major drug retailers, including Duane Reade, CVS Corp. and Rite Aid Corp., said they had or would instruct stores to remove all over-the-counter products containing PPA from sale. Most intended to post informational signs, offer refunds and have pharmacists on hand.

But retailer Target Corp. and grocer Kroger Co. were among the few sellers holding off on a decision.

“Because the FDA has only issued a recommendation and not an actual recall, we actually aren’t sure what we’re supposed to do,” said Target spokeswoman Patty Morris. “Our legal department is reviewing the recommendation. At this point the product is still on shelves.”

“We’re trying to fully understand the issue before we make any decision,” said Kroger spokesman Gary Rhodes.

The products at issue include such popular brands as Dimetapp, Dexatrim, Acutrim, Contac, Comtrex, Alka-Seltzer Plus, Tavist-D and Triaminic.

Along with major drugstore chains, most grocers and superstores, such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., were pulling the products.

Even e-commerce site Drugstore.com Inc. said it was joining the act, deleting the product offering from its Web site and notifying 10,000 customers via e-mail of the FDA information.

While drug manufacturers move to create non-PPA versions of their products, they are also pushing sales of those that never contained the substance. Pfizer Inc. asserted that Sudafed and Benadryl products are PPA-free.