Before I get into Rush Limbaugh's latest bit of insanity, a little background. On June 16, 2009 the FDA sent a warning to Matrixx Initiatives, the maker of Zicam, due to a potential hazard from its use. Zicam uses a zinc compound as its active ingredient in fighting the common cold. Though the studies linking zinc to cold relief have been found to be flawed, though zinc has been shown to be harmful to nasal passages, and though there is no evidence of its usefulness Matrixx has continued to promote Zicam as a powerful cold remedy. Zicam was marketed as homeopathic in order to benefit from the FDA exemptions enjoyed by homeopathic quackery. Homeopathic remedies, being only water, are safe on their own. However, Zicam was not actually homeopathic as it contained an active ingredient, zinc. In 2006, Matrixx Initiatives paid a $12 million settlement due to claims that its product could permanently destroy a users sense of smell. The FDA finally acted and required Zicam be regulated in order to be sold. Deeming this too expensive, Matrixx pulled it from US shelves.

Matrixx continues to proclaim Zicam safe, hardly surprising due to the amount of revenue the product generates. Oddly though, Zicam has a new defender. Rush Limbaugh's radio show is sponsored by Zicam and has been so for several years. As part of his advertising, Rush has provided personal testimonials of its effectiveness and his endorsement. In a breathtaking example of his utter absence from reality, Rush has declared the FDA's actions against Zicam as a personal political attack on himself! The Democrats, it would seem, issued a warning against a dangerous product in order to discredit Rush Limbaugh. The man has lost the rest of what little sense he ever had.