US EditionCommon allergy medication’s risks outweigh its usefulness, experts say
UNITED STATES, AUG 01 – Experts warn diphenhydramine causes sedation, cognitive harm, and possible dementia risk, with over 1.5 million prescriptions annually despite safer antihistamine alternatives.
- In February 2025, allergy experts from Johns Hopkins and UC San Diego called for removing diphenhydramine from U.S. over-the-counter and prescription markets.
- They cited widespread misuse, including child hospitalizations and fatalities linked to the viral Benadryl Challenge on TikTok, and highlighted safer alternatives like loratadine and cetirizine.
- Diphenhydramine causes sedation, cognitive impairment, possible cardiac effects, and poses disproportionate risks for children and older adults without evidence it outperforms newer antihistamines.
- Each year in the U.S., diphenhydramine continues to be prescribed over one million times, but experts recommend restricting its access to pharmacist oversight to promote safer use and encourage choosing second-generation antihistamines.
- This suggests a public health shift away from diphenhydramine toward safer, more effective alternatives to reduce preventable harm, especially among vulnerable populations.
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27 Articles
Common allergy medication’s risks outweigh its usefulness, experts say
In a new review, experts call for the removal of diphenhydramine from over-the-counter and prescription markets in the United States, saying it’s outdated, dangerous and eclipsed by safer alternatives.
·Atlanta, United States
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Total News Sources27
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center24Last UpdatedBias Distribution92% Center
Bias Distribution
- 92% of the sources are Center
92% Center
C 92%
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