Phenylephrine was originally thought to ease congestion by reducing swelling in the nasal passages. "When your nose gets congested, blood vessels in the nose dilate and close up the nasal passages ...

Some of the most common medications containing phenylephrine include Sudafed PE, DayQuil and NyQuil Severe Cold and Flu, Mucinex Cold and Flu, Tylenol Cold and Flu, Tylenol Sinus and Headache ...

Products with formulations that contain phenylephrine, the drug FDA experts deemed ineffective, make up about four-fifths of that market. Jeff Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via ...

“We are removing certain oral cough and cold products that contain phenylephrine as the only active ingredient from CVS Pharmacy stores,” a CVS spokesperson told CNN in a statement on Thursday.