Proving that Zicam Really Works

In order to legally claim on the packaging and in advertising that Zicam can lessen the duration and severity of the common cold, Gel Tech paid for an independent formal clinical trial of the product. The purpose of the research was to prove that the direct application of the ionic zinc nasal gel within twenty-four hours of the onset of common cold symptoms significantly shortens the duration of those symptoms. This was actually the third clinical trial of Zicam, but it was the first one that enabled the company to make claims for the product on packaging and in advertising.

Subjects were recruited at four sites in the Los Angeles area. The study included 213 subjects, who were randomly assigned to receive either the zinc nasal gel or a placebo. Only subjects who had had cold symptoms for twentyfour hours or less were enrolled in the study. Subjects were required to have had at least three of the following symptoms: cough, headache , hoarseness, muscle ache, nasal drainage, nasal congestion, scratchy throat, sore throat, or sneezing. The results were amazing. The duration of each patients cold was defined as the number of days from entry into the study to the complete resolution of symptoms. The zinc nasal gel had a significant effect in shortening the duration of the symptoms. The mean resolution time was 2.3 days for the patients who received zinc and 9.0 days for the controls. There were no significant side effects, other than a few subjects reporting a slight tingling or burning sensation .