[6] In July 2000, docosanol was approved for medical use in the United States as an antiviral agent for reducing the duration of cold sores.

Some of the patients experienced the symptoms of allergic reactions, including difficulty breathing, confusion, angioedema (facial swelling), fainting, dizziness, hives or chest pain.

[10] Other side effects may include: acne, burning, dryness, itching, rash, redness, acute diarrhea, soreness, swelling.

This disrupted ability of the virus to fuse with the host cell membrane prevents entry and subsequent replication.

[16] In March 2007, it was the subject of a US nationwide class-action suit against Avanir and GlaxoSmithKline as the claim that it cut recovery times in half was found to have been misleading in a California court, but the case was eventually settled and the "cuts healing time in half" claim had not been used in product advertising for some years, instead stating "clinically proven to speed healing".