No joke!

The FDA says Zicam nasal spray could cause consumers to lose their sense of smell! Apparently, about 130 consumers have reported losing their sense of smell after using Zicam products since 1999.

Dr. Charles Lee said "Loss of the sense of smell is potentially life threatening and may be permanent. People without the sense of smell may not be able to detect life dangerous situations, such as gas leaks or something burning in the house."

The FDA said Zicam was never formally approved by them because it's part of a little group of remedies that don't require such approval before launching. Though the FDA has issued a warning letter to Matrixx Initiatives, the manufacturer, asking them to stop marketing zinc-based products. 

Deborah Autor, FDA's druge compliance division director stated "The next step, if they wish to continue marketing Zicam intransal zinc products, is for them to come in and seek FDA approval."

Matrixx Initiatives is facing several lawsuits in regards to the product, but on their website, Matrixx says "No plaintiff has ever won a court case because there is no known causal link between the use of Zicam Cold Remedy nasal gel and impairment of smell."

Hmm... sounds a bit fishy to me. They know it's an issue... hmmm... really, I think they should be forced to recall until FDA approval has been granted. For reals! I'd be SUPER PISSED if I lost my sense of smell!