Useless drugs list for kids. List of ineffective dummy drugs

The term "drug with unproven efficacy" appeared relatively recently, no more than 20 years ago. It was then that pharmacies began to sell a variety of drugs registered specifically as medicines - bifidumbacterin (now produced by Vector-BiAlgam (Russia) and several other pharmaceutical companies), bactisubtil (Patheon France) and various other powders and tablets to combat a non-existent diagnosis "dysbacteriosis"; herbal sedatives; immunostimulants and other pacifiers.

ON THIS TOPIC

But, long before this term appeared, drugs, the effectiveness of which was disputed by doctors and scientists, already existed and were well known to everyone. For example, most specialists and potential patients were skeptical about homeopathic preparations, and one can not even talk about such popular remedies as validol and brilliant green.

Dummy medicines appear on the market because people believe in miracles, and pharmaceutical companies, in turn, work on the principle of "demand creates supply," says doctor, candidate of medical sciences Oleg Bely. “Due to naivety, stupidity and irresponsible attitude towards one’s health, miracle pills for everything appear on the market, which have nothing to do with evidence-based medicine,” the expert said in an interview. website.

Advertising is doing its job and hundreds of thousands of people are buying into big promises from TV. The vast majority of patients do not even realize that the drugs widely advertised in the press and even recommended by the attending physician have not been tested in clinics and, moreover, have been recognized by the World Health Organization as useless.

HOMEOPATHY

The recent controversy surrounding the proposal of the Russian Academy of Sciences to remove homeopathic remedies from the list of medicines has again exposed the problem of this controversial and often dangerous method of treatment. Experts again reminded that homeopathy has nothing to do with science, its effectiveness has not been proven, but, on the other hand, they recognized that it also does not bring harm. If sweet balls help some patients, then in this case the effect of suggestion or placebo works. It turns out that patients, for their own money, take dummy medicines and sometimes even recover.

Obviously, with serious diagnoses, such as stroke or cancer, taking homeopathic balls will not help - serious treatment under the supervision of a doctor is required here. The same control, and in addition to it, antiviral drugs, and sometimes antibiotics, will be required in the treatment of influenza. And, meanwhile, from TV screens in the midst of an epidemic of acute respiratory viral infections, we are offered to get rid of the flu with the help of the homeopathic preparation "Oscillococcinum" (Boiron, France), or, in other words, to treat a serious illness with sugar balls with duck entrails extract.

French manufacturer of nothing does not report neither about the mechanism of action of the drug, nor about its pharmacokinetics. There is no scientific evidence on how duck liver and heart extract should suppress influenza viruses. Moreover, the drug actually does not contain this active substance: the concentration of the supposedly useful extract completely excludes the presence of at least one of its molecules in Oscillococcinum.

CORVALOL AND VALIDOL

Corvalol (Pharmstandard, Russia) and its foreign analogue Valocordin (Krewel Meuselbach GmbH, Germany) are known to everyone as "heart drops". In fact, they have only a mild sedative effect, and even then they do not work for everyone. It would never occur to a cardiologist to use these drugs for the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system, since they have no effect on the heart and never had. In addition, Valocordin contains a drug phenobarbital habit-forming.

However, it is also useless for heart pain and the most popular drug among the elderly is validol. Instead of a mint-flavored tablet, you can put a lollipop under your tongue with the same success. But, really, after that, you should not be surprised if you suddenly find yourself in intensive care, because validol does not contain any special medicinal substances: its principle of action is based on irritation of nerve endings that trigger certain reflexes. With intense pain in the heart, real medicinal support is needed, and not this drug!

FIGHT AGAINST NON-EXISTING DYSBACTERIOSIS

Pharmaceutical companies go to great lengths to sell their products. Direct contracts with doctors, "gray" schemes of interaction with medical institutions, unscrupulous advertising - everything is being used. But such a marketing ploy as the use of a non-existent diagnosis of "dysbacteriosis" in the promotion of medicines works real miracles.

In recent years, dozens of officially registered drugs for this "disease", which the World Health Organization has not included in the list of diseases, have been in pharmacies. A few years ago, bifidumbacterin appeared, later - bactisubtil. Today, pharmacists offer probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics: Linex (Sandoz, Germany), Acipol (Lekko, Russia), Laktofiltrum (AVBA RUS, Russia), Enterol (Prespharm, France), Probifor (JSC "Partner", Russia), Hilak Forte (Merkle GmbH, Germany).

These drugs contain different types of bacteria, but there are also complex drugs to normalize the gastric flora. All of them are not credible in the medical community: there are many research talking about the uselessness of drugs with live bacteria.

In order to sow your stomach with beneficial bacteria, which, by the way, are always present there anyway, it is not at all necessary to spend money on expensive drugs. It is enough to eat right and try to include dairy and sour-milk products in your diet more often - yogurt, cream, sour cream, fermented baked milk and yogurt. A hundred years ago, doctors recommended drinking a glass of ordinary kefir before bed to normalize digestion. This tip still applies today!

IMMUNOSTIMULANTS

To maintain immunity, you should also not get carried away with drugs, otherwise you can accustom your immune system to chemistry, and this will lead to the opposite result - with the slightest cold, you will have to stuff your body with pills. Doctors are skeptical about such drugs as Arbidol (Pharmstandard, Russia), Kagocel (NEARMEDIC PLUS, Russia), Imudon (Solvay, France), Grippferon (ZAO FIRN M, Russia). World Health Organization warned about the dangers of using immunostimulants in some vaccines.

There are many scientific terms in the description of these drugs, and their action is explained by complex immune mechanisms. But, in fact, they do not have any, at least some noticeable, effect on the body. Some experts even believe that immunostimulating drugs can be harmful by disrupting the body's own production of interferon. Be that as it may, studies of the effectiveness of such drugs have either never been conducted, or were conducted in limited groups of patients.

It is not at all necessary to take these drugs, which are even more expensive than prebiotics - it will be cheaper and more reliable to lead a healthy lifestyle, do exercises and take a cold shower in the morning.

SEA WATER

Preparations with sea water - Aqualor (Aurena Laboratories AB, Sweden), Aqua Maris (Jadran Galenski Laboratorij, Croatia), Marimer (Laboratoires Gilbert, France), Quicks (BERLIN-CHEMIE AG, Germany) - a real gold mine for the manufacturer. They do not carry any benefit in the fight against viruses and microbes, but they cost as much as two or three packs of antibiotics. Yes, sea water really rinses the nose, but you can also use plain boiled water for this, add a pinch of salt and a drop of iodine to it. The effect will be the same, but this solution will still not be able to kill viruses in the nasal cavity.

WOBENZYM

The manufacturer MUCOS EMULSIONS, GmbH (Germany) assures that the drug containing enzymes that can enter the human body and with food relieves inflammation and pain, lowers blood cholesterol, improves immunity, fights hematomas and even prevents the development of malignant tumor cells . It is very similar to the "Kremlin pill", which was offered by charlatans in the early 90s of the last century. But experts say you shouldn't believe the fairy tale about a miracle drug that hasn't been tested in experimental studies just because it's expensive.

ESSENTIAL

A popular drug for protecting the liver, like all other so-called "hepatoprotectors", does not protect the liver in any way. Scientific research did not find a positive effect when taking "Essentiale", but they found something else: in acute and chronic viral hepatitis, it can contribute to increased stagnation of bile and inflammation activity. Like Wobenzym, Essentiale Forte H (Nattermann and Cie GmbH, Germany) is more of a food supplement than a drug.

Zelenka

It should not be surprising that brilliant green (1% alcohol solution of brilliant green) familiar to everyone since childhood is very weak as an antiseptic. Since it contains an alcohol solution, it still has disinfecting properties, but no more than ordinary alcohol. With deep wounds, brilliant green cannot be used, in this case softer antiseptics are needed - Miramistin (CJSC "Infamed", Russia) or a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate.

When choosing any method or method of treatment, it is necessary to consult a doctor!

Scientists have conducted studies to determine the medicinal properties and the effect of drugs on the human body. As a result, specialists managed to find a number of useless drugs that do not have any beneficial effect on the human body during recovery.

According to Western media, the list of the most "useless" drugs was headed by "Arbidol", which can also be purchased in pharmacies under the names "Immust" or "Arpevlyu". It is intended to fight viral diseases, but scientists have come to the conclusion that the drug, like its many analogues, does not have a therapeutic effect, the FAN agency writes.

In second place was "Essentiale", designed to protect the liver. Experts have found that it can cause inflammation or stagnation of bile.

The experts also added "Hilak forte" or "Bifiform" to the list of useless drugs. The drugs are aimed at restoring the intestinal microflora. But scientists said that they often contain already dead microorganisms that are useless for the intestines.

Among the undesirables was "Mezim forte" and the rest of the funds, which include pancreatin, will be useless for the treatment of diabetes or pancreatitis.

Another drug - "Corvalol" - can be dangerous and addictive. According to experts, the use of this drug can provoke the appearance of cognitive and neurological disorders, as well as affect sexual function.

An expert in medicine, head of the State Budgetary Institution Research Institute of Health Organization and Medical Management of the Moscow Health Department, David Melik-Guseinov, confirmed that there are indeed a large number of useless and ineffective drugs on the pharmaceutical market.

At the same time, he noted that doctors and the media should remind people of the importance of proper treatment. “You can’t take and revolutionary ban these drugs. But gradually you need to convey to people the position that you need to be treated correctly, and not spend money on meaningless or harmful drugs. It can be done by a doctor, it can be done by the media,” he said in an interview with NSN.

The pharmaceutical market offers a huge number of drugs for almost any disease or pathological condition. However, there is an opinion that some of these funds do not bring the desired cure, that is, in fact, they turn out to be a “dummy”, and an insignificant result can be attributed to the placebo effect, when the patient recovers due to self-hypnosis. The list of such ineffective drugs included many drugs popular in Russia.

Why drugs become ineffective

It should be noted that we are not talking about fakes of effective drugs that do not contain at all or contain in a reduced dose the claimed substances or their analogues. The attention of consumers is drawn to truly original medicines that do not give the result promised by the manufacturer.

The term “ineffective medicines” as such does not exist, and their list is compiled by people who have experienced the ineffectiveness of certain medicines on themselves personally, and by some conscientious doctors based on their practice. However, the essence of such ineffective drugs can be explained as follows: these are drugs that have not received confirmation of their therapeutic efficacy as a result of clinical trials.

Pay attention to what domestic drugs can replace expensive imported drugs

List

1. The first in the list of ineffective drugs were Actovegin, Solcoseryl and Cerebrolysin, which have their own proven inefficiency! These drugs are distinguished by an obscure composition, in which the main element is components of animal origin. In Europe, these drugs are strictly prohibited.
2. Next on the list of pacifiers are Arbidol, Bioparox, Anaferon, Imunomax, Likopid, Imudon. All these drugs are considered immunomodulators, the effectiveness of which has not been proven, and they are quite expensive. Abroad, all these listed drugs have not even aroused interest for their research.
3. Bifiform, Bifidobacterin, Hilak Forte, Linex, Primadophilus took the third position in the list of ineffective drugs. We know them as good probiotics that can normalize the intestinal microflora. However, in the same Europe, the diagnosis of “dysbacteriosis” does not exist at all. Moreover, in no other country in the world, doctors would even think to examine the state of the intestinal microflora.

   For example, the drug Linex was created on the basis of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and enterocci, and is intended to restore the intestinal flora affected by antibiotics and antihistamines. According to the manufacturer, the Linex capsule contains 1.2 * 10 ^ 7 live, but vacuum-dried lactic acid bacteria. When blistering, about 97% of beneficial bacteria die. A comparative analysis of liquid and dry probiotics showed that dry bacteria are very passive, so even those that survived the blistering have little to no effect on the intestinal microflora. As a result, probiotics are useless and ineffective drugs, it is better to replace them with natural fermented milk products.

4. Oddly enough, the well-known Validol also belongs to ineffective drugs. Abroad, this drug is considered an ordinary mint candy that freshens breath quite well. There, for heart pain, nitroglycerin is used, which helps prevent a heart attack.
5. Thanks to its dubious composition, Novo Passit also entered the list of ineffective drugs. According to the instructions, it should have a calming and anti-anxiety effect. However, against the background of all kinds of herbs, the main component of this medicine is guaifenesin, which belongs to mucolytic agents. As a result, we want to calm the nerves, and we begin to treat a non-existent cough.
6. Such drugs as Piracetam, Nootropil, Phezam, Phenibut, Aminalon, Mildronate, Pantogam, Cinnarizine, Picamilon, Instenon, Mexidol generally turned out to be placebo drugs, which allowed them to also be included in the list of ineffective drugs.
7. Cavinton and Vinpocetine are banned drugs in many countries, as no significant clinical effect has been found in their studies. In the United States, these drugs are classified as dietary supplements, not drugs, and in Japan they are completely withdrawn from sale due to their uselessness.
8. Adenotriphosphoric acid (ATP) is also considered ineffective. It can only be used in cardiology (intravenous administration) for the relief of certain cardiac arrhythmias, but the duration of action will be limited to a few minutes. In other cases (for example, the use of intramuscular courses), ATP is considered a useless and ineffective drug, since it “lives” for a very short amount of time, and then decays.
9. Thymogen and Timalin - the active ingredients of these drugs are obtained from the thymus (thymus gland) of cattle. Previously, doctors often prescribed them as biostimulants and immunomodulators for colds, as well as for burns, bone diseases, etc. However, in 2010, a report was read at a medical congress about the ineffectiveness of these drugs, confirmed by clinical studies. It said that none of these immune stimulants showed measurable benefit, except for the benefit of the manufacturer's income.
10. Cocarboxylase, Riboxin is actively used in Russia: in neurology, obstetrics, intensive care. However, in Europe and the USA, the drug is banned for use, as it has never been tested anywhere in clinical trials.

Oscillococcinum is a drug made from a diluted extract of the heart and liver of a musky duck to fight a variety of viruses, while its effect is not at all described by the manufacturer. As a result of clinical studies, it was revealed that the homeopathic remedy does not have the effectiveness and safety declared by the manufacturer, so the medicine was declared ineffective and useless in its homeland in France, and was also prohibited from being sold for medical purposes.

11. All dietary supplements (Evalar, Omacor, Laktusan, Apilak and others) are not drugs and do not have a therapeutic effect, they have a placebo effect, that is, an expectation reaction from use. All drugs from the mentioned list are not used in the USA and Europe.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that conceived migrants, immigrants from the countries of the former USSR do not have normal (or even no) medical insurance and, in case of illness, they self-medicate without exception.

And here in the first informant to become ... TV.

So we offer you TOP 15 most useless, but at the same time the most popular drugs that are usually bought without prescriptions:

1. ARBIDOL

Active ingredient: umifenovir.

Other names: "Arpetolid", "Arpeflu", "ORVItol NP", "Arpetol", "Immust".

Soviet invention of 1974, not recognized by the World Health Organization. Clinical trials of the drug in human diseases were carried out only in the CIS and China.

It is supposedly an antiviral drug with an immunomodulatory effect for the treatment of many different diseases, including influenza, but its effectiveness has not yet been proven.

2. ESSENTIAL

Active ingredient: polyenylphosphatidylcholine.

Other names: "Essentiale forte", "Essentiale N", "Essentiale forte N".

This popular liver protection drug, like all other so-called "hepatoprotectors", does not protect the liver in any way. Scientific studies have not found a positive effect when taking Essentiale, but they have found something else: in acute and chronic viral hepatitis, it can increase bile stasis and inflammation activity.

Basically, it's a food supplement.

3. PROBIOTICS

Active ingredient: live microorganisms.

Popular drugs: "Hilak forte", "Acilact", "Bifiliz", "Lactobacterin", "Bifiform", "Sporobacterin", "Enterol".

Not only is the effectiveness of probiotics unproven; Apparently, most of the microorganisms contained in these preparations are not yet alive. The fact is that the packaging process destroys 99% of all potentially beneficial bacteria and spores. With the same success, you can drink a glass of kefir. In Europe and the USA, probiotics are not prescribed.

4. MEZIM FORTE

Active ingredient: pancreatin.

Other names: Biofestal, Normoenzym, Festal, Enzistal, Biozym, Vestal, Gastenorm, Creon, Mikrazim, Panzim, Panzinorm, Pankreazim , "Pantsitrat", "Penzital", "Uni-Festal", "Enzibene", "Ermital".

According to studies, pancreatin may be effective only for indigestion. It does not cure diabetes, pancreatitis, hernia and real disorders of the digestive tract.

5. Corvalol

Active ingredient: phenobarbital.

Other names: "Valocordin", "Valoserdin".

Phenobarbital is a dangerous barbiturate with a pronounced narcotic effect.

When used regularly in large doses, it causes serious neurological and cognitive impairment (short-term memory disorders, speech disorders, unsteady gait), suppresses sexual function, which is why it is banned from import into the United States, the United Arab Emirates and many European countries.

6. PIRACETAM

Other names: "Lucetam", "Memotropil", "Nootropil", "Piratropil", "Cerebril".

Like all other nootropic drugs, it is known mainly in the CIS. The effectiveness of piracetam has not been proven, but there is evidence of unwanted side effects. Not registered in most developed countries.

7. CINNARIZINE

Active ingredient: diphenylpiperazine.

Other names: Stugezin, Stugeron, Stunaron.

Cinnarizine is currently produced mainly in Bangladesh, while it was banned in the West 30 years ago. Why? The list of side effects would take up too much space, so we will only mention that the use of cinnarizine can lead to an acute form of parkinsonism.

8. VALIDOL

Active ingredient: isovaleric acid menthyl ester.

Other names: "Valofin", "Mentoval".

An outdated drug with unproven efficacy. In no case do not rely on it for heart problems! It does not give anything, and with a heart attack, every minute counts!

9. NOVO-PASSIT

Active ingredient: haifenesin.

This allegedly antixiolytic drug contains many different herbal extracts, but its only active ingredient is an expectorant.

It is often included in cough preparations, but cannot in any way provide the sedative effect attributed to Novo Passit.

10. GEDELIX

Other names: "Gederin", "Gelisal", "Prospan".

The US National Institutes of Health conducted a large-scale study and came to the following conclusion: despite its popularity, ivy leaf extract is not effective in treating cough. Have some tea with lemon.

11. Glycine

Glycine is not a drug at all, but a simple amino acid. In fact, this is another bioactive supplement that does not bring any harm or benefit to the body. The clinical efficacy of glycine is not only unproven, but not even investigated.

12. SINUPRETE

Active ingredient: extract of medicinal plants.

Other names: Tonzipret, Bronchipret.

A popular phytopreparation in Germany, the effectiveness of which is confirmed only by studies conducted by the manufacturer. You can make it at home by brewing gentian root, primrose flowers, sorrel, elder flowers and verbena. See what a savings!

13. TROXEVASIN

Active ingredient: flavonoid rutin.

Other names: "Troxerutin".

The effectiveness is confirmed only by two Russian studies, which were severely criticized by Western scientists. According to the latter, "Troxevasin" has only a barely noticeable effect on the body.

14. ANY HOMEOPATHY

Active ingredient: absent.

Popular drugs: Anaferon, Antigrippin, Aflubin, Viburkol, Galstena, Gingko Biloba, Memoria, Okuloheel, Palladium, Pumpan, Remens, Renital ”, “Salvia”, “Tonzipret”, “Traumel”, “Calm down”, “Engistol” ... thousands of them!

When listing pseudo-drugs, it would be dishonest not to mention homeopathic remedies.

Please remember once and for all: homeopathic remedies basically DO NOT CONTAIN any active ingredients. They do not have the slightest effect either on the human body or on bacteria, viruses and diseases that are designed to treat.

The effectiveness of homeopathy does not differ from the effectiveness of placebo, which is what it is.

15. Zelenka

It should not be surprising that brilliant green (1% alcohol solution of brilliant green) familiar to everyone since childhood is very weak as an antiseptic. Since it contains an alcohol solution, it still has disinfecting properties, but no more than ordinary alcohol. With deep wounds, brilliant green cannot be used, in this case, softer antiseptics are needed - for example, Betadine

You will be surprised, but in our pharmacies a huge number of medicines with unproven effectiveness are sold. Medicines that do not cure. Here they are…

You will be surprised, but pharmacies sell a huge number of drugs with unproven effectiveness. Medicines that do not cure. Interestingly, in Europe, many of them are banned, but we are selling very successfully.

And what is worse, advertising from all sides imposes on us immunostimulating, antiviral drugs, pills for the treatment of the liver, kidneys, stomach, dysbacteriosis ... Do we really need these "pacifiers"? Or does the body cope with the disease itself perfectly, without taking any medication?

Here is a list of the most famous useless and widely advertised drugs:

1. ACTOVEGIN

The drug, which is on the list of top sellers, has no evidence base. Since March 2011, Actovegin has been banned in Canada, since July 2011 it has been banned for sale, import and use in the United States. In Western Europe, Australia, Japan and most other countries of the world, this substance is not approved for use as a drug. Source The manufacturer tried to prove the effectiveness of Actovegin, but to no avail and was forced to refer to the "experience of doctors." Recently, a clinical trial of Actovegin was completed in Russia by order of the manufacturer. No one has seen the results of these clinical trials and most likely never will. The manufacturer of Actovegin has the right not to publish them.

2. CEREBROLISIN

A drug for the treatment of patients with impaired functions of the central nervous system, developmental delays, impaired attention, dementia (for example, Alzheimer's syndrome), but in Russia (as well as in China) it is most widely used to treat ischemic stroke. In 2010, Cochrane Collaboration, the most authoritative international organization specializing in summarizing information about evidence-based studies, published a review of the results of randomized clinical trials of cerebrolysin conducted by physicians L. Ziganshina, T. Abakumova, A. Kucheva: “According to our results, none of the 146 examined showed no improvement in the condition when taking the drug ... There is no evidence to confirm the effectiveness of the use of cerebrolysin in the treatment of patients with ischemic stroke. In percentage terms, there was no difference between the number of deaths - 6 out of 78 people in the cerebrolysin group versus 6 out of 68 in the placebo group. The condition of the members of the first group did not improve in comparison with the members of the second.

3. ARBIDOL

The long-term leader of the Russian pharmaceutical market, Arbidol was developed in the 1960s by the joint efforts of scientists from the All-Union Scientific Research Chemical-Pharmaceutical Institute named after V.I. Ordzhonikidze, Research Institute of Medical Radiology of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences and the Leningrad Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. Pasteur. In the 1970s and 80s, the drug received official recognition of its therapeutic effect against acute respiratory diseases of the influenza virus types A and B, however, the results of full-scale clinical trials of arbidol conducted in the USSR (thousands of people, comparative double-blind placebo-controlled studies) did not have been published.

The conducted studies of Arbidol do not give grounds to consider it as a drug with proven activity for the treatment of influenza. Researchers from abroad were not really interested in this drug. The American Food and Drug Administration refused to register Arbidol as a drug. Arbidol is well advertised and actively lobbied at the highest level.

4. INGAVIRIN

Used to prevent and treat colds and flu. Ingaverin entered the market in 2008 without full-fledged placebo-controlled studies, and a few months later the so-called swine flu epidemic began, which greatly contributed to its sales. Despite the fact that there is no evidence-based evidence of the effectiveness of ingaverin against influenza, the drug was recommended for use by the Ministry of Health and Social Development.

5. KAGOCEL

The effectiveness of the drug has not been proven by randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Without such results, the drug is usually not approved for use in cultured countries. This can be checked against the MEDLINE database, which is freely available to everyone around the world through the US National Library of Medicine. In total, there are 12 articles in MEDLINE that mention Kagocel. Not a single RCT is among them. The list of studies available on the Rusnano website contains more studies that look like RCTs by title. Unfortunately, they have not been published. This list does not include studies of the so-called third phase, i.e. studies needed to establish the efficacy and safety of the drug in adults. Research on children predominates, which looks immoral. Only those interventions that have already been tested in adults and need to be tested in children should be tested in children. This is particularly surprising since, as we shall see, some of the potentially harmful effects of Kagocel are long-term and even irreversible. We don't know why Nearmedic doesn't publish studies that, by the name, look like RCTs. But we know why RCT results are usually not published by pharmaceutical companies: because these studies did not give the attractive results the company needed.

6. Ocillococcinum

A preparation made using an extract of the liver and heart of a non-existent bird to combat a non-existent microorganism and at the same time does not contain an active substance. During the Spanish flu epidemic in 1919, the French epidemiologist Joseph Roy, using a microscope, discovered some mysterious bacteria in the blood of flu patients, which he called Oscillococci and declared the causative agents of the disease (along with herpes, cancer, tuberculosis, and even rheumatism). Subsequently, it turned out that the causative agents of influenza are viruses that cannot be seen with an optical microscope, and no one except Rua could see Oscillococci bacteria. When the vaccine made by Rua on the basis of Oscillococcus from the blood of sick people did not work, he, guided by the main principle of homeopathy - to treat like with like, but at much lower dosages, decided to use an extract from the liver of birds - the main hosts of influenza viruses in nature. The same principle is followed by modern manufacturers of oscillococcinum, who indicate Anas Barbariae Hepatis et Cordis Extractum, an extract of the liver and heart of the Barbary duck, as the active ingredient of the drug.

At the same time, firstly, species Anas Barbariae does not exist in nature, and the ducks used by Rua are called musk ducks and are known in biological nomenclature as Cairina moschata. Secondly, in accordance with Korsakov's homeopathic principle, the extract, according to the manufacturers, is diluted 10 to 400 times, which implies the absence of even one molecule of the active substance oscillococcinum in any package of the drug (for comparison, the number of atoms in the Universe is 1 * 10 to the 80th degree). Theoretically, all Oscillococcinum sold until the end of time could be made from a single duck liver. “From the point of view of modern science, homeopathic remedies, which include the drug oscillococcinum, do not have proven efficacy, and the lack of evidence of efficacy and safety is the reason for the drug not to be approved for use, not to mention the fact that the manufacturer cannot prove the presence of the claimed components in the drug,” says Professor Vasily Vlasov, Vice President of the Society for Evidence Based medicine. In Pharmexpert's 2009 ranking, Oscillococcinum ranks second among the most popular over-the-counter drugs in Russia. According to experts involved in monitoring the Russian market, the main reason for its popularity lies in the active advertising policy of manufacturers and the love of Russian residents for self-treatment. In the homeland of the drug, in France, since 1992, the sale for medical purposes of any products prepared in accordance with Korsakov's homeopathic principle has been prohibited - with the exception of oscillococcinum.

7. TAMIFLU and RELENZA

It won't be long before another hysteria begins to extort money from the population under the guise of fighting the flu. And today we want to tell you about a story that happened quite recently, which was reported by the English newspaper Guardian. In 2014, the UK stockpiled £600 million worth of flu drugs (more than $1 billion). However, it soon became clear that the purchased drugs do not relieve the symptoms of the disease well and cannot prevent the spread of the epidemic. Independent experts conducted research and found that the companies that make the two main flu drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, withheld important information. In particular, it turned out that during clinical trials, these drugs were completely ineffective. The researchers concluded that due to lack of information, the government stockpiled these drugs, consisting of 40 million doses. Medicines officials have also been criticized for failing to collect all information about medicines before approving their use.

The results of clinical trials of drugs Tamiflu and Relenza occupy 175,000 pages. In this array of information, data was easily hidden that the only advantage of these drugs is the removal of the symptoms of the disease for about half a day. At the same time, there is no justification for creating such a significant reserve with taxpayer money, since medicines cannot prevent the occurrence of serious complications, including pneumonia, and also reduce the rate of spread of the virus among the population.

Scientists have been alerted by the fact that the drug Tamiflu, which makes up about 85% of stocks made, if used as a preventive measure, can cause serious side effects, such as kidney problems, high blood sugar, as well as mental disorders, including development depression and delirium. As a result, £600 million from the pocket of taxpayers was "thrown to the wind," concluded Professor of Medicine Carl Heneghan from the University of Oxford, one of the authors of the study.

8. AMIKSIN, THYMALIN, THYMOGEN, VIFERON, ANAFERON, ALFARON, INGARON ( BIOPAROX, POLYOXIDONIUM, CYCLOFERON, ERSEFURIL, IMUNOMAX, LYCOPID, ISOPRINOSINE, PRIMADOFILYUS, ENGYSTOL, IMUDON, etc.)

"Immunomodulators" are sold only in Russia - more than 400 items are registered here.

Timalin and Timogen
The active substance of these drugs is a complex of polypeptides obtained by extraction from the thymus gland (thymus) of cattle. Initially, raw materials for the manufacture of preparations came from the Leningrad Meat Processing Plant. Doctors widely prescribed thymalin (injections) and thymogen (nasal drops) for adults and children as an immunomodulator and biostimulant for conditions and diseases that are accompanied by a decrease in immunity, including burns and frostbite, acute and chronic purulent-inflammatory diseases of bones, soft tissues and skin, acute and chronic viral and bacterial infections, various ulcers, as well as in therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis obliterans, rheumatoid arthritis and to eliminate the negative effects of radiation and chemotherapy. The database of medical publications Medline lists 268 articles mentioning thymalin and thymogen (253 in Russian), but none of them contains information about a full (double, blind, randomized) study of the safety and efficacy of these drugs. In 2010, at the congress “Man and Medicine”, a report was heard by a postgraduate student of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology of the Moscow Medical Academy. Sechenov, Candidate of Medical Sciences Irina Andreeva, who stated that "the effectiveness and necessity of using drugs such as thymogen, thymalin and other immunomodulators, which are widely used in Russian medical practice, have not been proven in clinical studies." According to the specialists of the Institute of Hematology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, "there is no evidence of the effectiveness of the use of thymalin and thymogen in complex radiation therapy." “The very concept of “lowering immunity” and the possibility of “increasing” it is an ugly simplification of knowledge about the complex system of immunity,” says Professor Vasily Vlasov. - None of the "immunity stimulants", like levamisole, thymalin, amixin - there are many of them on the Russian market - has convincing evidence of usefulness, unless, of course, the manufacturer's profit is considered a benefit.

Viferon
The scale of "interferon therapy" in Russia is simply amazing. Doctors of almost all specialties include interferons in their treatment regimens - rectally, orally, intranasally ... They are prescribed to infants, pregnant women, the elderly ... Nobody is embarrassed by the fact that throughout the civilized world recombinant interferons are prescribed exclusively parenterally for certain serious diseases - viral hepatitis, malignant neoplasms ... No one is embarrassed by the lack of an evidence base for the use of interferons locally (with the exception of ophthalmic practice). Not embarrassed by the fact that interferon is a large molecular structure that cannot penetrate into the systemic circulation through the mucous membranes of the nose and gastrointestinal tract, and even more so have a systemic effect. In favor of their inefficiency is indirectly evidenced by the fact that they are always prescribed in combination with other drugs, i.e. everyone understands that they do not work as a single drug. As a practicing pediatrician, I have never prescribed this group of drugs in 15 years of practice and, believe me, all patients recover without them. I consider the abuse of immunomodulators, immunostimulants, immunosimulators .... When using suppositories with interferon in pregnant women, the frequency of blood cancers in their children increased.

Alfaron, Ingaron
In the desire to snatch a profit at the time of the worldwide panic of 2005, our domestic manufacturers pulled out old developments and offered ingaron. And now they are trying to sell alpha- and gamma-interferon preparations in pairs - “the industrial production of the “Kit for the Prevention and Treatment of Influenza” has been launched ... A combination of interferon preparations of types I and II (gamma-interferon - INGARON and alpha-interferon - ALFARON) when administered intranasally or nasopharyngeally, it provides high protection against influenza infection, including H1N1 season 2009 (porcine origin) ”(official press release of the Influenza Institute).

Indeed, on September 10, in Copenhagen, Director of the EuroWHO M. Danzon welcomed Academician O. Kiselev, Director of the Institute of Influenza, and VZ experts emphasized that Russia should ensure the quality of the products offered and conduct appropriate clinical trials. That's when it will be possible to discuss whether they are of interest to medical practice. Naturally, it is impossible to organize and conduct additional benign studies in two months. Why did the WHO change its mind? The Influenza Institute kindly provided a translation of the letter from the WHO. It states: “We have carefully reviewed the submitted reports. The results are very interesting and encouraging, however, given the limited clinical data on interferon preparations…, we recommend that further international studies are needed to finally define and formulate WHO recommendations for the use of these drugs internationally. … Given the fact that … interferon preparations, based on their quality compliance with the standards adopted in the Russian Federation, are already approved for use … for the prevention and treatment of pandemic influenza A(H1N1), we believe that these preparations are already widely available and are used in priority for the prevention and treatment of pandemic influenza in your country… We would be grateful for any post-marketing surveillance data on their use.” Translated from international into Russian, this means: for the international community, data must be obtained in good studies, but if the laws of your country allow treatment with these drugs, then treat, and let us know about the complications. If China had insisted on acupuncture for swine flu, or Botswana on voodoo treatments, they would probably have received similar responses.

9. ESSENTIALE, CARSIL…

None of the so-called "hepatoprotectors" is presented in the pharmacopoeias of North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand and is not included in the Clinical Recommendations - practical guidelines for doctors and surgeons, which they use to make decisions on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, as well as confirmed their practical importance. Since 1989, 5 clinical studies have been conducted. Initially, it was thought that phospholipids might be effective in alcoholic liver disease and liver steatosis of other origin, as well as when taking so-called hepatotoxic drugs as a "drug cover". However, in a 2003 study at US Veterans Medical Centers, no positive effects of these drugs on liver function were found. Moreover, it was found that in acute and chronic viral hepatitis it is contraindicated, as it can increase bile stasis and inflammation activity.

10. BIFIDOBACTERIN, BIFIDUMBACTERIN, BIFIFORM, LINEX, HILAK FORTE, PRIMADOPHILUSand other probiotics

The diagnosis of "dysbacteriosis", which is universally put forward by our pediatricians, does not exist anywhere else in the world. Prescribing probiotics in developed countries is treated with caution.

The drug Linex is based on bifidobacteria, lactobacilli and enterococci and is designed to improve the intestinal flora affected by the use of antihistamines and antibiotics. However, due to manufacturing characteristics, the effectiveness of the drug tends to zero. According to manufacturers, one capsule of Linex contains 1.2 * 10 "live, but lyophilized (that is, vacuum-dried) lactic acid bacteria. Firstly, this number itself is not so large - a comparable amount of bacteria can be obtained by consuming a daily norm of ordinary fermented milk products. Secondly, when blisting, that is, when the drug is vacuum packed into capsules in which it goes on sale, about 99% of the bacteria are likely to die. Finally, a comparative analysis of dry and liquid probiotics shows that in the former, bacteria are extremely passive, so even those that managed to survive blistering almost never have time to have a positive effect on the human immune system.

Preparations of harmless bacteria (probiotics) for colonization of the intestines have been used in European medicine for about a hundred years, thanks to the research of Ilya Mechnikov. “But only recently, for certain drugs in good studies, a beneficial effect was found in the prevention of infections in children,” says Professor Vlasov. - It was the insignificance of the size of the effect that did not allow it to be convincingly detected earlier. In Russia, the popularity of probiotics is unprecedented, as manufacturers skillfully support the bizarre idea of ​​"dysbacteriosis" - a condition of allegedly disturbed intestinal microflora, which is supposedly treated with probiotics.

Probiotic products contain different strains of bacteria and their doses are different. It is not clear which bacteria are actually beneficial or what dosages are required for their action.

11. MEZIM FORTE

Mezim Forte was created on the basis of pancreatin from the pancreas of pigs, which should compensate for the insufficiency of the exocrine function of the pancreas and improve the digestion of food in the intestines. According to the manufacturers, mezim-forte is produced in blisters, the shell of which protects enzymes sensitive to gastric juice and dissolves only in the alkaline environment of the small intestine, where it releases the pancreatic enzymes that are part of the drug - amylase, lipase and protease, which facilitate the digestion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. However, in 2009, the President of the Association of Employers' Organizations of the Medical and Microbiological Industry of Ukraine, Valeriy Pechaev, stated that a study of the drug, conducted by the laboratory of pharmacological analysis of the SE "State Pharmacological Center" of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the State Inspectorate for Quality Control of Medicines, showed its complete inefficiency. According to Pachaev, there is no enteric-soluble shell in mezim-fort, which is why the enzymes are dissolved by acid in the stomach and do not give any effect. Representatives of the Berlin-Chemie company did not deny or confirm this fact, but issued a response statement that said: “There are questions for Valery Pechaev himself. The fact is that Pechaev is, among other things, the general director of the pharmaceutical company Lekhim, which, by the way, produces a competitive drug - pancreatin. “The effect of enzymes on the body has not yet been fully studied,” says Professor Vasily Vlasov. - Mezim-forte, as well as pancreatin, is a drug of mass demand, respectively, it suits everyone, which means it does not suit anyone.

12. CORVALOL, VALOCORDIN (VALOSERDIN)

These medicines contain Phenobarbital (Luminal). The turnover of this substance due to its high toxicity to the human body, as well as its pronounced narcogenicity (the ability to cause pathological dependence, i.e. drug addiction) in all countries is subject to control by special competent authorities. In most European countries, phenobarbital is either used extremely rarely, or its use is generally prohibited. The consequences of the abuse of barbiturates (namely, phenobarbital belongs to this group) include damage to the liver, heart, and of course the brain.

13. PIRACETAM (NOOTROPIL) and other nootropics (Phenibut,Aminalon,pantogam,Picamilon, Cinnarizine)

A nootropic drug used to improve metabolic processes occurring in the cerebral cortex. The active substance of nootropil - piracetam - is the basis of about 20 similar drugs on the Russian market, for example, pyratropil, lucetam and a number of drugs, the name of which contains the word "piracetam" itself. This substance is widely used in neurological, psychiatric and narcological practice.

The Medline database lists publications from the 1990s on clinical studies, according to which piracetam is moderately effective in the recovery of the patient after a stroke, as well as in the treatment of dementia and dyslexia. However, the results of the randomized multicenter study PASS (Piracetam in Acute Stroke Study) in 2001 showed the lack of efficacy of piracetam in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. There is also no information on the improvement of the functioning of the cerebral cortex in healthy people after taking piracetam.

Currently, it is excluded by the US FDA from the list of medicines and is classified as a dietary supplement (BAA). It is not approved for sale in US pharmacies, but it can be ordered online or imported from neighboring Mexico. In 2008, the Formulary Committee of the British Academy of Medical Sciences made a statement that "the results of randomized clinical trials (1990s. - Esquire) on the use of the nootropic drug piracetam were methodologically flawed." However, in some cases, it can help older people with cognitive impairment. People who have used piracetam in combination with LSD and MDMA have claimed that it helps control strong drug effects.

In Russia, piracetam is actively used in the therapy of mental functions in children with Down syndrome. However, according to a study conducted in 2006 by a group of scientists led by Nancy Lobaf, piracetam did not confirm its effectiveness in this area: in 18 children with Down syndrome, after a four-month course, cognitive functions remained at the same level, aggression was observed in four cases, and excitability was observed in two , in one - an increased interest in sex, in one - insomnia, in one - lack of appetite. The scientists concluded: "Piracetam has no proven therapeutic effect in improving cognitive function, but has undesirable side effects."

14. COCARBOXYLASE, RIBOXIN (INOSIN)

These drugs are used in cardiology, obstetrics, neurology and intensive care. Actively used in Russia, but not used in developed countries. They have never been seriously studied. It is argued that these drugs should somehow miraculously improve metabolism, help with many diseases, enhance the effect of other drugs. If a medicine cures everything, it doesn't really cure anything.

At a certain stage in the development of medical science, these drugs were quite popular, but the experience of their clinical use has shown the low effectiveness of such therapy. First of all, the failure was associated with the pharmacological groundlessness of the use of this class of drugs. Obviously, the introduction of ATP from the outside does not matter from a pharmacological point of view, since this macroerg is formed in the body in incomparably large quantities. The use of its precursor inosine (riboxin) also cannot guarantee an increase in the pool of “ready” ATP in myocardial cells, since both the delivery of the purine derivative and its penetration into the cell under ischemia conditions are rather difficult.

15. CHONDROPROTECTORS

16. Vinpocetine and Cavinton

Today, it is not recommended for use: not a single benign study has revealed clinically significant effects in it. It is a substance obtained from the leaves of the Vinca minor plant. The drug has been little studied. Therefore, in the United States and many other countries, it refers to dietary supplements, and not to drugs. In Japan, withdrawn from sale due to apparent inefficiency.

Extract from the Resolution of the Meeting of the Presidium of the Formulary Committee of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences dated March 16, 2007

17. THROMBOVAZIM

Thrombolytic, used to treat chronic venous insufficiency, acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction.

The main function of this nano-drug is the dissolution of blood clots, which should make it a unique remedy for many diseases of the circulatory system. Drugs that can dissolve a blood clot and restore blood circulation are usually available in the form of solutions. According to the developers, scientists of the Novosibirsk Institute of Nuclear Physics, thrombovazim is "the world's first thrombolytic in tablets." “It's like a microsurgeon,” says Andrey Artamonov, director of the Siberian Center for Pharmacology and Biotechnology. “He runs through the vessels and eats blood clots without touching healthy tissues, so, firstly, there are no side effects, and secondly, the technology can reduce toxicity dozens of times.” Thrombovasim is made from vegetable raw materials, processing it with an electron beam, and the polymers are combined with biomolecules. The electron beam method, according to physicists, "kills all toxins and microbes", which cannot be achieved with traditional chemical processing. According to the indication "treatment of chronic venous insufficiency", thrombovazim was registered in 2007. According to the database of Roszdravnadzor, the manufacturer was granted permission to conduct clinical trials of the drug's efficacy in acute coronary syndrome, acute myocardial infarction and retinal thrombosis, but it has not yet been registered for these indications. “The presented material looks doubtful,” says Pavel Vorobyov, deputy chairman of the Formulary Committee of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. - A thrombolytic is usually administered intravenously even inside a thrombus, and it is difficult to imagine the absorption of such a substance with the presence of a biochemical target. As well as the fact that the powder from plants irradiated with something receives new supernatural properties. Manufacturers, without waiting for registration, released thrombovazim to the market quite a long time ago - as the basis of the DNI dietary supplement.

18. WOBENZIM

If you believe the description in the register of medicines, it helps against all diseases, from viral hepatitis to chemotherapy for neoplasms. As doctors have long noted, if a drug is a drug of mass demand, has a wide range of indications, is practically devoid of side effects and, accordingly, is suitable for everyone, then most likely it is not suitable for anyone and has no indications for its use.

In the US, they refused to register it as a medicine. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has not recognized it as safe or effective. Cases of the possible occurrence of such adverse reactions as shock or individual intolerance (anaphylactic shock) are described, but it is remarkably sold in Russia.

19. INSTENONE, CINNARIZINE, FLUNARIZINE

Not used in developed countries since the late 70s of the last century.

In latent Parkinson's disease, taking cinnarizine at a minimum dose of 75 mg per day (flunarizine - 10 mg per day) for several months, weeks, and even days can lead not only to the manifestation (often irreversible!) of the disease, but also to the sudden development of a parkinsonian crisis with complete immobility and impaired auxiliary swallowing and respiratory movements, while a specific antidote - the drug amantadine for intravenous drip - stops the threatening condition no earlier than a few days. Especially dangerous in this sense is the repeated parenteral use of cinnarizine.

Medicines containing cinnarizine and present on the Russian market.

Cinnarizine, Stugeron, Cinnarizine-Inbiotech, Cinnarizine-MIC, Cinnarizine-Milve, Cinnarizine-Ros, Cinnarizine forte, Cinnarizine forte-Ratiopharm, Vertizin, Disiron, Stunaron, Cinazine, Cinnarine, Cinnaron, Cinnasan, Cinedil, Cirizine (tablets 25 mg, capsules 75 mg, drops 3 mg in 1 drop, solution for infusion 75 mg in an ampoule); Omaron and Phezam (a combination of 25 mg cinnarizine and 400 mg piracetam per tablet: cinnarizine reduces the likelihood of insomnia and anxiety caused by piracetam, both components mutually reinforce the vasodilating effect inherent in both, stimulating effect on the uptake of oxygen from the blood by the brain and spinal cord, as well as the risk of developing akathisia - motor restlessness, aggressiveness, delirium - episodes of delirium and hallucinations).

Flunarizine (Flunarizine)

A drug with the same effect is a doubly fluorinated derivative of cinnarizine, trans-1 [cinnamyl-4 (4,4′) difluorobenzhydryl]-piperazine, or N difluorobenzhydryl-N′ transcinnamyl-piperazine (brand - Sibelium, Germany; other trademarks - Amalium, Vasculoflex, Vertix, Nabratin, Niflucan, Nomigrain, Flugeral, Fluxarten, Flunagen, Flunar, Flurpax, Flufenal; tablets and capsules of 5 and 10 mg). Fluoridation made the drug more resistant to destruction in the liver, as a result of which it is used in smaller doses and less often (5 mg 2 times a day, 10 mg 1-2 times a day, 15-20 mg 1 time a day at bedtime, orally; according to the same indications, daily doses of flunarizine are 5-11 times less than those of cinnarizine, which reduces the side effects of peak drug concentrations in the blood).

20. STATINS

Statins are a group of substances whose mechanism of action is associated with blocking an enzyme with a false name, HMG reductase. The enzyme is involved, in turn, in one of the stages of the formation of new cholesterol in the liver.

French scientists Bernard Debré and Philippe Even wrote the book "4000 Drug Guide" in which they argue that statins are useless. At best, it's a placebo effect.

21. VITAMINS AND MICROELEMENTS

In Russia, vitamins are a huge market, they are prescribed in unlimited quantities, mainly to healthy people and without indications. However, vitamins cannot replace a healthy diet: 1 kg of fresh vegetables and fruits daily, fish, vegetable fats, dairy products. Who needs vitamins? In some cases, they are necessary for people with serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and sometimes malnourished. Pregnant women need to take folic acid and calcium, some women need vitamin A and iron, but there is no evidence of the benefits of vitamins B, C, D, E and magnesium. Vitamin A is recommended for children under 2 years of age with measles. Vitamin C is indicated for pneumonia, for those who eat few vegetables and fruits. Vitamin D and calcium intake reduces the risk of fractures in the elderly. However, even these effects of vitamins are small.

22. HOMEOPATHY

All homeopathy is charlatanism.

23. VALIDOL

Mint candy, which has a distant relation to medicine. Good for freshening breath. Feeling pain in the heart, a person puts validol under the tongue instead of nitroglycerin, which is mandatory in such situations, and leaves with a heart attack in the hospital.

24. MILDRONATE, MEXIDOL, PHENOTROPIL

Doping under the guise of nootropics - are used only in the CIS. Medline searches did not reveal any controlled human studies.

25. BIOPAROX, KUDESAN

No major studies have been conducted, all articles on Pubmed are mostly of Russian origin. The "studies" were conducted mainly on mice.

26. CYTOCHROME C, ADENOSINE, NICOTINAMIDE (OFTAN CATACHROME), AZAPENTACEN (QUINAX), TAURINE (TAUFON)

The active substance of taufon eye drops - 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid - is present in small amounts in the tissues and bile of animals, including humans. Another name for acid is taurine- comes from the Latin taurus ("bull"), since it was first obtained by German scientists Friedrich Tiedemann and Leopold Gmelin from ox bile. Taurine is used both in pharmaceuticals and in the food industry - it is a common ingredient in many "energy drinks". For medical use, taurine is produced in Russia in the form of a 4% aqueous solution called taufon, which is prescribed for adults with dystrophic lesions of the retina, cataracts, glaucoma, and also as a means of stimulating recovery processes in corneal injuries. But there is no scientific evidence of the effectiveness of the drug: according to the database of Roszdravnadzor, no clinical trials of taufon have been conducted in Russia, and in the international database Medline there is only one publication indicating the connection of taurine with ophthalmology (Thimons J.J., Hansen D., Nolfi J Understanding taurine and its possible role in ocularhealth, Optometric Management, April, 2004. Its authors talk about clinical trials of their unique invention - Complete MoisturePlus cleaning and moisturizing liquid for contact lenses, made on the basis of taurine. According to the article, taurine “may protect lenses and, accordingly, eyes from dryness that occurs when working at a computer, damage and helps to moisturize it ... However, we cannot yet fully determine the role of taurine in healing the eyes.” There are no taurine-based drops in Western pharmacies. The possibility of preventing the development of cataracts and delaying the operation has not been proven.

27.ESSENTIALE, LIVOLIN ESSENTIALE N

Like numerous analogous drugs, it allegedly improves the condition of the liver. There is no convincing data on this, manufacturers do not seek to actively test them. And our legislation allows us to bring drugs to the market that have not passed the correct double-blind controlled trials. There are no studies that comply with the principles of evidence-based medicine, confirming the effectiveness of Livolin and its analogues in the treatment of liver diseases in general, and fatty hepatosis in particular.

22. NOVO-PASSIT

It is positioned as an anxiolytic - a psychotropic agent that suppresses anxiety, fear, anxiety, emotional stress. The composition of Novo-Passit includes a complex of liquid extracts of medicinal plants (valerian officinalis, lemon balm, St. It is guaifenesin that is attributed to the anxiolytic effect of the drug. Meanwhile, guaifenesin is only a mucolytic and cannot have the effect that is attributed to the drug. However, skipping a little alcohol before going to bed has never bothered anyone. For a simple herbal tincture, it is a little expensive. When promoting its product, the manufacturer actively uses "individual work with key specialists and doctors."

23 . PROPROTEN 100

Dummy, placebo effect works.

24. ERESPAL

A drug that has not proven its effectiveness in ARVI. Erespal in syrup is contraindicated in patients with bronchial asthma and allergies. Due to the dyes and honey flavor it contains, it can in itself provoke bronchospasm.

25. GEDELIX
Efficacy in ARVI in children and adults has not been proven.

26. DIOCIDIN
Contraindicated in children due to high toxicity. It is extremely cautious to appoint adults with a disease of the nose and paranasal sinuses. In case of ear disease - with caution in case of damage to the eardrum.

27. BIOPAROX, KUDESAN
No major research has been done, all articles on Pubmed are mostly of Russian origin. The "studies" were conducted mainly on mice.

You can download the full list of drugs with unproven efficacy here http://www.citofarma.ru/_ld/1/120_FuFlomicinum.doc