Makers of Zinc-Containing Cold Remedies Facing Loss of Smell Claims

The makers of zinc-containing over-the-counter (OTC) cold remedies, such as Zicam Cold Remedy and Cold-Eze, are facing mounting public scrutiny and an FDA investigation over claims that the products are causing users to lose their sense of smell and/or taste.

Within the past six months, a handful of lawsuits have been filed against Matrixx Initiatives, the manufacturer of Zicam, claiming that studies have found that the product's active ingredient, zinc gluconate, can cause anosmia, a condition characterized as the loss or reduction of the sense of smell when applied to epidermal cells within the nostril.

At least one case …