FDA is cracking down on unregulated and potentially dangerous natural products sold under the banner of homeopathy.
FDA is cracking down on unregulated and potentially dangerous natural products sold under the banner of homeopathy. Ars Technica reports:
The FDA’s move follows a string of high-profile safety issues with homeopathic products. That includes a years-long investigation by the agency that linked illnesses in 400 infants and the deaths of 10 babies to improperly manufactured homeopathic teething products. In that case, FDA investigators confirmed that the products contained variable and sometimes high levels of toxic belladonna, aka deadly nightshade, which can have harmful and unpredictable effects in infants. With strong-arming, the FDA got the manufacturer, Hyland’s, to recall the products earlier this year.
In its announcement Monday, the FDA said that it “continues to find that some homeopathic drugs are manufactured with active ingredients that can create health risks while delivering no proven medical benefits.”
Homeopathy is a centuries-old practice based on unscientific notions that if a substance—say a toxic chemical—can produce the same symptoms of an illness, it can be used to cure that illness (“like cures like”). But, homeopaths believe that the more diluted a substance, the more potent (“law of infinitesimals”), so many of their remedies are heavily diluted, often to the point where they only contain water. Some homeopaths believe that water molecules can even have “memory” of the substance.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/12/fda-plans-crackdown-on-quackery-homeopaths-say-bring-it/
The FDA’s move follows a string of high-profile safety issues with homeopathic products. That includes a years-long investigation by the agency that linked illnesses in 400 infants and the deaths of 10 babies to improperly manufactured homeopathic teething products. In that case, FDA investigators confirmed that the products contained variable and sometimes high levels of toxic belladonna, aka deadly nightshade, which can have harmful and unpredictable effects in infants. With strong-arming, the FDA got the manufacturer, Hyland’s, to recall the products earlier this year.
In its announcement Monday, the FDA said that it “continues to find that some homeopathic drugs are manufactured with active ingredients that can create health risks while delivering no proven medical benefits.”
Homeopathy is a centuries-old practice based on unscientific notions that if a substance—say a toxic chemical—can produce the same symptoms of an illness, it can be used to cure that illness (“like cures like”). But, homeopaths believe that the more diluted a substance, the more potent (“law of infinitesimals”), so many of their remedies are heavily diluted, often to the point where they only contain water. Some homeopaths believe that water molecules can even have “memory” of the substance.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/12/fda-plans-crackdown-on-quackery-homeopaths-say-bring-it/
At least one US agency is still fact based. What fox will Trump appoint to guard the FDA hen house?
ReplyDeletePer Siden actually, FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb is the lone Trump appointee in whom I have great confidence. Gottlieb is unquestionably pro-industry but is very evidence-oriented and willing to try out new ideas.
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