I've been a little under the weather recently, stuffy nose, sore throat, it's no fun.

It's not COVID of the flu, my doctor said it's just a good old-fashioned cold.

I've used a humidifier, drank warm tea, and taken cough drops, and I've been looking

very closely at over-the-counter cold medicine, because recently I learned that there's an

active ingredient that's been marketed for colds and allergies that, when taken orally,

just doesn't work.

It's called fennel effron.

FDA advisory panels raise some very serious questions about a key ingredient in popular

coal medicines.

To be honest with you, it doesn't work.

If fennel effron works, no better than a placebo to clog your stuffy nose.

There are two scientists you can thank for figuring this out.

Randy Hatton.

I'm a clinical professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy at the University

of Florida College of Pharmacy.

And Leslie Hindellas.

I am my professor emeritus in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy.

Randy and Leslie spent nearly two decades questioning the effectiveness of oral fennel

effron.

Did you ever see someone in line at the pharmacy buying some of this fennel effron and

just like swatted out of their hand and be like, it doesn't work.

Don't buy it.

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