Is Zicam Homeopathy or Medicine
Our doctor recommended Zicam.
It is a “1x” homeopathic dilution of zincum gluconicum.. Normally I would say that homeopathy is absolute rubbish…. no let me revise that statement and say firmly, “homeopathy is absolute rubbish.” But a “1x” dilution is a 1 to 10 dilution… which is to say that 10% the ingredients are actual… ingredients. That sounds like MEDICINE. WTF?
I HATE that this company is touting actual medical studies and co-mingling it with the notion that it is homeopathy. It isn’t. Or maybe it is. The box says “This product is not required to go through the FDA’s New Drug Application approval process.” Hey FDA, you’re screwing up!
Well, I poked at it a bit, and they fall under the supplement loophole of the Food and Drug Act. The FDA is not allowed to regulate them as long as they follow a specific set of claims guidelines. It’s not that the FDA is screwing up, it’s that they are legally not allowed to act in this instance. This has been a problem for a long time.
There are studies that suggest zinc acetate might be a treatment for reducing the length of a cold, but Zicam hasn’t done any studies to prove efficacy, so they are homeopathic instead. They did get slapped by the FDA when it looks like their nasal sprays and swabs had a high enough incidence of loss of smell to be worrisome. Maybe treat this unregulated and potentially injurious “medicine” with skepticism?
I’d honestly be more concerned by your doctor recommending the stuff.
Yeah, chicanery abounds.