The homeopathic nasal gel and swabs for cold relief symptoms, Zicam, has been slapped with an FDA warning that its use can cause people to lose their sense of smell. Shipment of the products have been halted by the manufacturer after 130 reports of people losing their sense of smell, perhaps some permanently. There has been no recall. Questions being asked in light of the FDA warning is: Why didn’t clinical trials reveal that Zicam has this side effect before the product was marketed? Did Zicam’s manufacturer, Matrixx Initiatives, Inc., know its product caused anosmia, the medical term for loss of the sense of smell? Here are a few clarifications on the issue of clinical trials and Zicam: