Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel & Swabs have been found to cause or lead to anosmia, which is the loss of smell, one of the very, very important senses that we have as humans. Its manufacturer, Matrixx Initiatives, allegedly knew about the problem as early as 2003, but product liability lawyers say that the company did nothing to warn consumers.

Florida Attorney Doug Kreis

Doug Kreis, a Florida products liability attorney whose firm represents injured Zicam victims, explained Zicam's link to anosmia and a study which shows that Matrixx knew about the problem as far back as 2003:

This loss of smell, as we understand through speaking with our clients and doing research, is initially accompanied by a burning sensation which is reflective of some acute toxicity that happens on the olfactory senses, or the olfactory epithelium in particular, which is in the nasal passage. Zicam is a product that is delivered into the nasal passage through a pump action. The product is sprayed directly on to the nasal passage so it directly contacts the olfactory epithelium, which is a thin, fragile layer of cells.

Study reports Zicam link to anosmia

Kreis says that a 2003 study study by Dr. Bruce Jacek reported the link between Zicam use and anosmia, but that the manufacturer did nothing to warn consumers about potential injury. He continued:

Interestingly, in some animal studies, this epithelium has been shown to rebound. However, in humans, it appears that the anosmia is permanent in nature, which is obviously terribly problematic for the manufacturers of Zicam. Dr. Bruce Jacek, an otolaryngologist out of Denver, reported this back in 2003 in a clinical meeting. It became known in some of the community, and certainly by Zicam, which would be held out as an expert in the community.

However, the company did not change or the way it advertised the product. So, in terms of notice and when the manufacturer knew about this – we use the year 2003. Matrixx Initiatives, along with Zicam LLC, had knowledge of this problem and didn’t do anything about it in terms of warning that using the product could result in the permanent loss of smell.

It wasn't until the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) reported the link between Zicam and anosmia that Matrixx decided to recall its products in late 2008, which may have been too late for some users – who now report not only losing their sense of smell – but taste as well.

Loss of taste reported

The loss of taste is coupled with the loss of smell in that the olfactory senses are used and some injured victims are reporting losing both after using Zicam. Kreis said, “When you’re tasting food, you must have a good sense of smell. In order to do that, you have to have saliva, which is a mechanism by which what you’re eating gets to your taste buds. You also need to have some sense of smell to have a full sense of taste of whatever you’re eating and drinking.”

If you've been injured due to Zicam use, contact an experienced Zicam lawyer to discuss your situation and evaluate your options. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.