Feeling itchy? FDA warns about rare side effect from some allergy drugs
As pollen peaks for the season, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning that some popular allergy medications could cause a rare but severe itching side effect.
The FDA said in a safety warning issued on May 16 that some patients who have taken oral allergy medicines daily for long periods of time — at least a few months but often several years — have experienced a severe type of itching, which is known medically as pruritus.
The affected medicines include cetirizine, which is popularly sold under the brand name Zyrtec, and levocetirizine, sold as Xyzal.
While reported cases of the severe itching side effect are rare, some have been serious and required medical intervention, according to the FDA.
A spokesperson for Opella, which manufactures Xyzal, said in a statement that the medicine "has a strong track record of efficacy backed by scientific research and user satisfaction."
"Opella stands by the safety of Xyzal, despite this rare reaction, when used as directed," the spokesperson said.
In a statement, Kenvue, the manufacturer of Zyrtec, said, "We take patient safety very seriously and actively monitor and report any adverse events to regulatory authorities."
"As FDA recognized, reports of itching upon discontinuation in patients who used Zyrtec medicines daily over a period of months or years are rare," the statement added.
Which allergy medicines could cause itching side effect?
The FDA said cetirizine and levocetirizine are the allergy medicines that could cause the itching side effect. They are sold under the brand names Zyrtec and Xyzal, respectively.
Both medicines are available over-the-counter or through a prescription.
The FDA said it has revised the prescribing information for both medicines to include a warning about the possible effect.
FDA warns about rare itching side effect. What is pruritus?
Some allergy medicines may cause a severe itching side effect known as pruritus, according to the FDA.
Pruritus is the medical term for itching, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The most common cause of pruritus is dry skin, but others include inflammation or swelling within the body, an underlying medical condition affecting skin or internal organs or nerve damage, according to Cleveland Clinic.
This story has been updated to add additional information.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for Paste BN. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.