Big Pharma again tries to curtail supplement use

[gibbledygook]

After the McCain bill was thankfully sidetracked, I'm afraid yet more proposed legislation which would restrict access to natural supplements/herbs is being proposed by a "representative" of the US people. Here is a link from the herbal supplement company, anxious to retain the freedom to operate.
http://www.capwiz.com/lef/issues/alert/ ... 36&type=CO

It seems to me that politicians no longer represent people but industries.

[hope410]

I don't know. I just watched a Dr. Oz program this week about supplements and, BECAUSE they aren't regulated, how you never really know how much/how little of the actual supplement is in the products you buy, and there may be other things (like lead) that are dangerous in the amounts that are in them.

I'd kinda LIKE a little regulation so that these kinds of inconsistencies/dangers don't happen. Right now supplement companies can say/do whatever they like with little to protect the consumer public.

[gibbledygook]

I agree. I think the herbal market should be better regulated. I bought a whole lot of very variable herbs from a US herbalist last year and was unconvinced by the quality. I was just flagging an email I was sent by a herbalist I trust. I'm not even American! I just worry that regulations so often act as a massive tax on business that it would likely affect a lot of good herbal/supplement companies adversely.

[NHE]

Email your Senator to demand that Rep. Waxman's drug company-favoring language not be added to the Senate version of the so-called Wall Street Reform Act and not be included in any later House/Senate version of the bill.

Unfortunately, sneaking suspect legislation in on another bill that is likely to pass is a common practice. For example, the recent "health care reform" bill had legislation in it that restructured the federal student loan program. The two have absolutely nothing to do with each other. What worries me is that this is just one example of backdoor legislation. What else got snuck into the bill that no one is discussing?

NHE

[shye]

Gibbldygook and Hope410-
if the us gov gets control of the supplement and dietary industry, under the guise of regulating it, it will make most supplements illegal, and for those not illegal, will only be able to get by prescription.
USE REPUTABLE COMPANIES--that is your quality control.

[Loobie]

I've decided that "FDA Approved" doesn't mean shit. So I could care if something I'm taken has been approved under their 'watchful eye'. LDN anyone?

[Loriyas]

Lew
I agree with you on this one! FDA approved does not mean a whole heck of a lot to me either. I think of Tysabri as just one example. I think people think that if the FDA gives its approval the drug is then safe. That is not the case at all.

[NHE]

I took "FDA approved" Vioxx for a month or two to block the side effects from Avonex (it worked quite well - it was like I hadn't even taken the Avonex shot). Someone then told me about its association with aseptic meningitis (there was a paper published which described several cases) and I also had a worsening of my MS symptoms while on it so I stopped. Thank goodness especially in hind sight after all of the reports of heart problems with this drug.

NHE