Sudafed, Mucinex, Benadryl, Advil, Tylenol, Vicks, and Dimetapp. These popular brand names appear on oral decongestants that are staples of the cold and flu aisle in American drug stores, and yet many contain an ingredient that does not work as promised.

The US Food and Drug Administration has proposed to remove oral phenylephrine, widely used in cold and cough syrups.

Phenylephrine is included in many cold and flu products, but a scientific panel last year found that it doesn't really do its job at "unstuffing" when taken by mouth.

The FDA proposed a ban on phenylephrine, a common decongestant found in cold and cough medications. Here’s why and a list of medicines with phenylephrine.

Common decongestants may soon be pulled from shelves. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday its proposal to halt use of oral phenylephrine, an ingredient found in many cough and cold medicines,