Pseudoephedrine is the one that is both proven to be effective and is the precursor to meth. Phenylephrine is the useless placebo that they put in the tablets on the shelf only because it can’t be used to make meth. It should be torn off the shelves because it’s useless.

The only reason the ‘PE’ (marketing term for the ineffective phenylephrine) tablets might be helpful is because they usually also have paracetamol (acetaminophen) in them which is probably the only bit that works. They don’t work as a decongestant for most people like pseudoephedrine does though.

I believe that it doesn’t work wholeheartedly, because every time I try it, it is ineffective - but my sinus problems are rarely bad enough to warrant medication (it’s been one year) and by then I’ve forgotten what works and what doesn’t.

Also, I suspect you’re mixing up your drugs. Phenylephrine (the drug in this article) lacks the methyl structure to be used for the synthesis of methamphetamines. In fact, that’s why it was popularized - pseudoephedrine, the truly effective sibling, was becoming too good for meth production, so they created a less potent alternative, phenylephrine, that lacks the ingredients necessary. They then locked pseudoephedrine behind the counter. Turns out the oral form of phenylephrine is less than “weaker” - it’s largely useless - so they pumped out enough of this crap to the tune of $1.7B that the American public spent every year for 18 years after they knew.

I think you're confusing Pseudoephedrine (which works and is used to produce meth) with Phenylephrine (which doesn't work and cannot be used to produce meth).

This article is about removing phenylephrine (sudafed PE) from shelves. Studies have pretty thoroughly showed it is completely ineffective for what it is marketed for