Important Drug Recall....?

Question

Body: IMPORTANT DRUG RECALL
Body: All drugs containing PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE are being recalled.
STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient. It has been
linked to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain )
among women ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use
of medication. Problems were not found in men, but the FDA
recommended that everyone ( even children ) seek alternative
medicine.

The following medications contain Phenylpropanolamine:

Acutrim Diet Gum Appetite Suppressant
Acutrim Plus Dietary Supplements
Acutrim Maximum Strength Appetite Control
Alka-Seltzer Plus Children's Cold Medi cine Effervescent
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold medicine (cherry or or ange)
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Original
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold &Cough Medicine Effervescent
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold &Flu Medicine
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold &Sinus Effervescent
Alka Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine
BC Allergy Sinus Cold Powder
BC Sinus Cold Powder

Comtrex Flu Therapy &Fever Relief
Day &Night Contac 12-Hour Cold Capsules
Contac 12 Hour Caplets
Coricidin D Cold, Flu &Sinus
Dexatrim Caffeine Free
Dexatrim Extended Duration
Dexatrim Gelcaps
Dexatrim Vitamin C/Caffeine Free
Dimetapp Cold &Allergy Chewable Tablets
Dimetapp Cold &Cough Liqui-Gels
Dimetapp DM Cold &Cough Elixir
Dimetapp Elixir
Dimetapp ! 4 Hour L iquid Gels
Dimetapp 4 Hour Tablets
Dimetapp 12 Hour Extentabs Tablets
Naldecon DX Pediatric Drops
Permathene Mega-16
Robitussin CF
Tavist-D 12 Hour Relief of Sinus &Nasal Congestion
Triaminic DM Cough Rel! ief
Triaminic Expectorant Chest &Head
Triaminic Syrup Cold & Allergy
Triaminic Triaminicol Cold &Cough

I just found out and called the 800# on the container
for Triaminic and they informed me that they are voluntarily recalling the following medicines because of a certain ingredient that is causing strokes and seizures in children :

Orange 3D Cold &Allergy Cherry (Pink)
3D Cold &Cough Berry
3D Cough Relief Yellow 3D Expectorant

They are asking you to call them at 800-548-3708 with
the lot number on the box so they can send you postage for you to send it back to them, and they will also issue you a refund. If you know of anyone else with small children,
PLEASE PASS THIS ON. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF!

DO PASS ALONG TO ALL ON YOUR MAILING LIST so people are informed. They can then pass it along to their families.

To confirm these findings please take time to check the
following:
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR CHILDREN IN CASE THEY GIVE IT TO THEIR CHILDREN OR TO FRIENDS WHO HAVE CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN

I've got this e-mail, and I thought of sharing it with you people...

Answer 1

You are actually not posting a question but I really appreciate your concern. However, such phenylpropanolamine issue alarmed the public since November 2000. There are many medicines contained such material. Check the full list:
http://www.phenylpropanolamine-ppa.com/pages/ppa-list.html

BUT since that FDA warning occured, the companies started reformulating the previously known products eliminating phenylpropanplamine element. Currently, the FDA has not issued officially any updated list of medicines that the public has to avoid due to phenylpropanolamine contents. Thus the subject on DRUG RECALL CONTAINING PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE which was a hot forwarded e-mail message during the 2000 is somewhat inaccurate recently. The FDA had acknowledged such matter. The above answerer has posted an excerpt of what FDA has to say about that on 2005.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/

For the meantime, looking just the name of the previously known drugs could be alarming but looking at the active ingredient of the newly manufactured product with the same name is advised. Though I agree that whatever reformulation the manufacturer will do, most of the informed public will still be hesitant in taking the previously known unsafe medicine.
Anyway if I am to choose, I will take the option of not taking any of the medicines awaiting "clearance" for safe use until FDA gives a final announcement clearing such legal issue. But generally, taking any medicines however safe they are, still has embedded risk imposed. What I am trying to say is that : as you know, a medicine approved by FDA as safe now can later become unsafe after reported incidents or after research findings. The best option would be trying not to depend on medicines not unless necessary, natural remedies should be taken as the first line. Most of the listed drugs previously with phenylpropanolamine are remedies for cough and colds, dietary supplements and appetite suppressants. We are not in dire need of all of those. In fact, taking them are actually unnecessary most of the time.
Thanks for being highly concerned.

Answer 2

"Since companies continue to reformulate their products, FDA is not maintaining a comprehensive, updated list of products that still contain PPA. FDA is aware of emails circulating widely that list many products allegedly containing PPA. These emails, however, generally contain dated and inaccurate information and should be ignored.

The FDA recommends that consumers read the labels of OTC drug products to determine if the product contains PPA. The Agency believes this to be the most accurate method for determining the PPA content of OTC products rather than providing an incomplete or out-of-date list of products that may have already been reformulated and no longer contain PPA"

Also, just be aware the site you linked to where I quoted from also has not been updated in over a year and a half.