Following a panel meeting on September 11 and 12, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) committee revealed that over-the-counter decongestants containing phenylephrine were ineffective. As a result, nearly 20 companies currently find their names mired in lawsuits. These infractions include industry leaders as well as major retail chains that sell store brand decongestants, amongst them Procter & Gamble Co., Johnson & Johnson, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, CVS, Rite Aid, GlaxoSmithKline, and Amazon. This revelation has not only become a point of concern but also swiftly led to approximately 30 class actions.
However, some of these implicated firms contend they should not be part of the lawsuit. Despite this, the number of defendants in this legal debacle is now more than a dozen and could potentially increase further. Details of these lawsuits are shaping up to be a significant legal battle for the pharmaceutical and retail sectors alike before the case has even fully developed.