Upper respiratory infections (URIs) have long posed a significant burden to the US healthcare
system. Well before the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic they have been among
the most common acute outpatient illnesses, causing 75-100 million physician visits each year
on average, and costing the health care system billions of dollars annually. This
double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study tested the efficacy of two anti-inflammatory
throat sprays against placebo and against a throat spray taken in conjunction with 325mg of
aspirin, a well-known systemically administered cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor. Participants
having common cold symptoms lasting less than two days were enrolled and given treatment to
administer at home. Various common cold symptoms were assessed and measured via clinically
validated self-assessment scales. Participants were screened for influenza and COVID-19
before enrollment and were excluded if found positive.