Frederick Stearns

Frederick Stearns & Co. was a pioneering American pharmaceutical manufacturing company founded in 1855 and headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. The company was a leader in the "non-secret" medicine movement, which advocated for transparency in drug labeling by disclosing full ingredient lists to physicians and the public at a time when patent medicines were often unregulated. Their most significant scientific contribution was the development and commercialization of Neo-Synephrine (phenylephrine), a widely used decongestant and vasoconstrictor. The firm operated as a major industry player for nearly a century, establishing a global presence with laboratories in several countries. In 1944, the company was acquired by Sterling Drug, and its operations were eventually integrated into the parent organization's divisions.