The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing the removal from the market of a common ingredient found in most oral over-the-counter cold medicines because it doesn’t work.

(Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed to remove oral phenylephrine, widely used in cold and cough syrups, as an active ingredient in over-the-counter drugs for nasal congestion,

The safety of phenylephrine isn’t a concern, but its effectiveness has been debated for years. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/ via CNN Newsource

When you're feeling under the weather, you likely grab your go-to cough and cold medicine. But are all the ingredients helping you fight off that cold?