(WJW) — CVS Health, one of the largest pharmacy chains in the United States, announced on Thursday it will be removing certain oral cough and cold products from its shelves.

The decision comes after a panel of advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressed doubt about the effectiveness of over-the-counter medicines containing phenylephrine as the sole active ingredient.

Phenylephrine is a commonly used ingredient in many cold and cough syrups. However, the panel’s refusal to endorse its effectiveness has raised concerns about its continued use in over-the-counter medications.

The FDA has yet to remove phenylephrine from its list of approved ingredients for over-the-counter use.

In response to the advisory panel’s findings, CVS Health has decided to remove oral cough and cold products with phenylephrine as the only active ingredient from its shelves.

The company emphasized that it would continue to offer other oral cough and cold products to meet consumer needs.

CVS’ rival pharmacy chain Walgreens stated it follows FDA regulations and is closely monitoring the situation regarding the use of phenylephrine in over-the-counter medicines.

Some well-known cough and cold syrups in the U.S. market, such as Benadryl, Kenvue’s Tylenol, and GSK’s Advil, currently contain phenylephrine as an active ingredient.

As the debate over its effectiveness continues, the future availability of these products may be impacted.