PPA Panic SPAM

Yes, it was true- FIVE YEARS AGO! The email and the list it contains are seriously out of date.

All of the manufacturers of the products listed in the SPAM released announcements at the time. Most are similarly worded.
This is from Wyeth Consumer Healthcare:

On November 11, 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory concerning the safety of phenylpropanolamine (PPA). Wyeth Consumer Healthcare (formerly known as Whitehall-Robins) immediately stopped shipping all PPA-containing products, removed these products from store shelves, and began shipping reformulated products without PPA.
Please find below a list of Wyeth Consumer Healthcare products that formerly contained PPA. To find out if a product in your medicine cabinet has PPA, check for phenylpropanolamine (PPA) in the "active ingredients" section. Products reformulated without PPA list pseudoephedrine HCl in the "active ingredients" section.
If you have a Dimetapp or Robitussin product that contains PPA, please discontinue use and call the following toll-free number for an exchange or refund: 1-800-762-4675, Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Dimetapp.com http://www.dimetapp.com/ppa.asp

From the famous SNOPES.com quoting the FDA advisory:

On 6 November 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health advisory warning that phenylpropanolamine (PPA), an ingredient found in many over-the-counter cold medications and diet aids, may cause strokes and thus should be avoided. The list of products cited in the e-mail quoted above is now several years out of date, and as the FDA has noted: There is no comprehensive, updated list available from FDA. FDA is aware of emails circulating widely that list many products allegedly containing PPA. Those emails are no longer valid and should be ignored. Please read the labels of OTC products to determine if they contain PPA.

The other FDA page which was last updated 2001

It is worth noting the difference in the dates as quoted above. The public statement was released on the sixth, the company recieved official notification a few days later. Some companies have dates ranging from the 8th to the 15th. It all happened within a couple of weeks anyway. The ones listed in the SPAM were updated in 2003. Which means they are two years out of date as well.

[Note: The SPAM cannot even get the name of the drug right. It says phenylpropanolamine (PDA). The actual abbreviation for this medication is PPA - Webmaster]

Serious matter especially for children and women: check OTC medication for phenylpropanolamine (PDA),
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2005 15:30:46 -0400
Subject: Recall on certain medications.
Hi
Thought you might want to read this. All drugs containing PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE are being recalled.
You may want to try calling the 800 number listed on most drug boxes and inquire about a REFUND.
Please read this CAREFULLY. Also, please pass this on to everyone you know.
STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient. It has been linked to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain) among women ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use of medication. Problems were not found in men, but the FDA recommended that everyone (even children) seek alternative medicine.
The following medications contain Phenylpropanolamine:

Acutrim Plus
Alka-Seltzer Plus Children's
Alka-Seltzer Plus
BC Allergy Sinus
Comtrex Flu
Contac
Coricidin D
Dexatrim
Dimetapp Cold & Allergy
Dimetapp 4 Hour
Dimetapp 12 Hour
Naldecon DX
Permathene
Robitussin
Tavist-D
Triaminic
[outdated list of medications partially deleted by webmaster. All those that did contain the substance have now been reformulated.]

I just found out and called the 800# on the container for Triaminic and they informed me that they are voluntarily recalling the following medicines because of a certain ingredient that is causing strokes and seizures in children:
3D Cold [list- ditto]
They are asking you to call them at 800-548-3708 with the lot number on the box so they can send you postage for you to send it back to them, and they will also issue you a refund. If you know of anyone else with small children, PLEASE PASS THIS ON. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF! DO PASS ALONG TO ALL ON YOUR MAILING LIST so people are informed. They can then pass it along to their families. Again, to confirm these findings please take time to check the following:

http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/ [Link is active- webmaster> PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR CHILDREN IN CASE THEY GIVE IT TO THEIR CHILDREN OR TO FRIENDS WHO HAVE CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
Blessings

[NOTE: All products listed are property of their respective owners. And ALL OF THEM wish people would stop forwaring this garbage. thank you ]

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