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The FDA is at it again. The latest product to fall victim to the newly-energized agency is Zicam, an over-the-counter cold and allergy product that some users claim has damaged their sense of smell.

Unlike prescription drugs, over-the-counter remedies like Zicam don' t require FDA approval before they go on the market. But since 2007, companies have been required to report what are called "adverse events" related to their products. After the agency spotted the Zicam complaints in a routine review, it warned Matrixx that it was failing to follow the rules.

Then yesterday, with considerable fanfare, the FDA issued a warning that advised the public to stop using Zicam nasal swabs and gels. The agency doesn' t have the authority to order a recall, but within 24 hours of the warning, Matrixx voluntarily began pulling the product off the shelves, even though the company still disputes the FDA' s scientific findings.

Rather than pick a public fight with the FDA over the science that led the agency to issue its warning, however, Matrixx has wisely decided to make it clear that public safety comes first. A public fight with the FDA can wait for another day.

Brett Berty of Stericycle ExpertRECALL, the same company that managed the massive Vioxx withdrawal, sees this move as one that can transform a serious crisis into an opportunity for Matrixx. According to Berty, "Even with all the initial bad publicity, Matrixx still has a chance to position itself as part of the solution rather than part of the problem - just as Johnson and Johnson did when it decided to pull Tylenol off the shelves - something that wouldn' t have been possible without clearly demonstrating that safety comes first."

Whether the FDA' s concerns about Zicam will stand up to scientific scrutiny remains to be seen. But in the meantime, by moving to pull their product off the shelves, Matrixx is addressing a serious reputation management challenge the right way, by putting public health and safety ahead of the bottom line.

David Bartlett is a Senior Vice President at Levick Strategic Communications, an expert communications strategist and crisis manager, and a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog.