TYREL ESKELSON
Opinions Writer

    It is quite likely that most people have seen Cold FX on the shelves of their pharmacy or as the official sponsor of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

    Canada’s number one selling cold remedy boasts of “boosting the immune system”Â and helping reduce the frequency, severity and duration of cold symptoms. It claims to be “clinically proven,” and its catchphrase is “Stop Colds, Start Now.”

    Cold FX has conducted clinical trials that have gained it permission from Health Canada to make certain science and health claims and ultimately emerge as a multi-million dollar company.

Is it the case, however, that Cold FX is actually clinically proven to stop colds?

    While reviewing the studies and website for the Afexa Life Science’s product I couldn’t help but be reminded of the countless commercials seen on TV that use a marketing pitch that is ambiguous in its boldest area of promise. It is both laughable and irritating, though, to read the fine print at the bottom (which I always do) that is compelled to tell the real truth and is even, in some cases, contradictory to the claim.

    Companies get away with these claims by opening the door with a vague statement and having the naïve consumer make the mental leap forward while forgetting their reasoning on the original side. Cold FX is no different.

    Cold FX is primarily made of American ginseng, which has been used medicinally for centuries but when evaluated scientifically, ginseng has not demonstrated to be conclusively effective for any medical use. Cold FX has been studied in its effectiveness to treat or prevent colds and some of these studies have been made available for public viewing. While some of the trials testing Cold FX have been conducted using good science, the outcomes have not been objectively meaningful. Scott Gavura with the website Science Based Pharmacy gives a good report of this very topic.

    I asked pharmacists from 12 major drug stores and pharmacies, “Do you recommend Cold FX?”Â The general consensus among them was that they do not recommend the product. All were quick to add that proactive measures such as washing your hands and getting a good night’s sleep are the best ways to protect yourself during cold and flu season.

    In the event you dismiss this as hearsay I encourage you to ask the questions yourself.

    Why is it that Cold FX works for so many people?

    The first and foremost reason any cold remedy might appear to work is the expectancy effect, or placebo. The very act of doing something that you believe will be beneficial will in many cases have a measured physiological response. This is the reason the scientific trials must be rigorous, double-blind and falsifiable. I will add that the creators of Cold FX did conduct strong studies, but as stated above the outcomes were not that meaningful. 

    Another important consideration is the body’s response to being infected. Symptoms become noticeable when your body’s immune system recognizes the virus and sets in motion steps to combat it. If one begins at this point to take a cold remedy and in three or four days feels better, it is likely they will attribute the remedy with the victory when their body actually overcame the virus on its own.

    One also might want to weigh cost versus the benefit. Gavura shows us that in Canada Cold FX is priced at around $0.45 per capsule, and if taken twice daily as recommended, this would cost around $400 when taken for 16 months (the length of time suggested by trials). If it is the case that proper hygiene and a good night’s sleep are just as, or more effective, is there really anything left to compare at this point?

    One final consideration to be aware of is the fact that Cold FX is presently a multi-million dollar product that is still conducting more trials. If a trial were to be conducted comparing the effects of Cold FX, as recommended, against proper hygiene and adequate nightly sleep and it showed to not be as effective, would it be made public? Afexa Life Sciences has a million reasons to find evidence to fit the circumstances rather than derive the circumstances from the evidence.

    A more in-depth look at Cold FX leaves me with the impression that its success is due more to marketing than it is to scientific support. With ambiguous claims like “Stop Colds, Start Now” the makers of Cold FX harness the power of suggestivity and lead the consumer to prematurely reach the conclusion that “this will cure my cold.”

However, it is when we use our critical thinking skills, ask questions and apply a healthy skepticism that we arrive at conclusive, objective answers.

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image: Allan Foster