FDA runs after illicit dietary supplements due to health risks

FDA runs after illicit dietary supplements

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is revving up its campaign against illegal supplements including weight loss, muscle-building, and sexual enhancement pills. The agency said that the proliferation of affordable health supplements in the market may pose a danger to public health because some of the products contain toxic ingredients. The FDA warned manufacturers to correctly label their products as some have been proven to promote dubious claims and knowingly hide dangerous ingredients from consumers' knowledge. Some of the ingredients should only be available with prescription, the FDA said. "These tainted products can cause serious adverse effects, including strokes, organ failure and death," said Margaret Hamburg, the commissioner of the FDA. "The manufacturers selling these tainted products are operating outside the law."

Food supplements can escape the usual regulatory monitoring of the FDA since they are not classified as drugs. Companies need not apply for approval from the agency but are expected to ensure their products' safety and to market them appropriately. The lack of direct regulation has encouraged the boom in the supplements market. Nevertheless, the FDA has pressured companies to voluntarily recall about 200 supplement products over the last three years.  Reports of liver damage, kidney failure, stroke and sudden death have prompted the FDA to urge manufacturers to recall their products. Since the agency does not have the full authority to effect a recall, it usually issues warning letters to manufacturers and uses media to expose illegal supplements and other dangerous products. The FDA had sent a letter to supplement industry representatives warning them that their companies could face criminal charges for illegal and unethical marketing practices.

Posted by George Daniels on Thursday December 16 2010, 12:27 AM EST. Ref: AP. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0