Reading ingredient labels closely will help consumers make more informed decisions. ljubaphoto/E+ via Getty ImagesThe ramp-up to cold and flu season is a bad time for consumers to learn that some of their most trusted go-to products don’t actually work. An advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded unanimously in September 2023 that phenylephrine – an active ingredient found in popular over-the-counter cough and cold products such as Sudafed PE, Theraflu and NyQuil Sev