Study says: Certain OTC eardrops may result in hearing loss or damage

A new study, led by researchers at the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), has revealed that certain over-the-counter earwax softeners can cause severe inflammation and damage to the eardrum and inner ear. Sam Daniel, principal investigator of the study and director of McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory at the Children's Hospital, said, "Our study shows that in a well-established animal model, one such product, Cerumenex, is in fact, toxic to the cells of the ear." The results of the study, recently published in The Laryngoscope, suggest that use of these medications should be discouraged. Commenting on the study, a spokesman for Simalasan, manufacturer of Simalasan Ear Wax Relief, told Drug Topics, "We believe our product to be non-toxic and it wasn't part of the study. They conducted the study on a particular product, Cerumenex, and the active ingredient in that product is completely different from our product. Our product is glycerin-based and the active ingredients are homeopathic and they are very diluted and very gentle and safe and would never cause the same side effects that this particular product seems to be causing."Cerumenex is no longer available in the United States. Purdue discontinued U.S. distribution of this product in 2002.

To see more Daily News articles, click here.

To go to the Drug Topics homepage, click here.