Health Alert 191
Did you know that if you went to the natural food store and picked up a bottle of saw palmetto, you wouldn’t find anything on the label to tell you what medical problems that product would address? That’s because the FDA prohibits natural health companies from making health claims for products they sell. Meanwhile, big drug companies run billions of dollars in ads making health claims for the prescription drugs they sell.
Does this sound right to you? You face this unfortunate reality if you want to try natural remedies in lieu of pharmaceuticals. Today, we’ll discuss what you can do to inform yourself despite this gag order.
* Follow the Money Trail *
The FDA’s position has long been that it bars supplement manufacturers and vendors from making health claims to protect you from false advertising. But in fact, it blocks all health claims for naturally occurring products even if they are true. In 1994, congress passed a law over the FDA’s opposition that allows supplement companies to make truthful health claims about their products. But the FDA continues to block those claims from going public on a case-by-case basis. The FDA has set a disturbing precedent with its rulings — health claims can be made only for drugs.
Any supplement company that wants to make a health claim must first have its product approved as a prescription drug. A process where the FDA rakes in $250,000 per application and about $50,000,000 per product from each supplement company that applies for approval. The astronomical cost of approval would break small supplement companies and force companies to hike their prices, wiping out any financial benefit for using natural remedies over drugs.4
When the FDA sets up roadblocks that keep the facts from you – such as the more than 30 scientific studies that prove saw palmetto solves prostate problems without dangerous side effects, it’s difficult to reconcile. Especially in light of the fact that despite its popular world –wide use, there has never been a death from saw palmetto. And, when you consider the 2.2 million adverse reactions and over 100,000 deaths every year from prescription drugs! 5
* What You Can Do *
Ask questions before you take a prescription – many patented drugs have natural correlatives that may be just as effective with fewer side effects. The drug manufacturer would prefer that you didn’t know this. The FDA appears to be willing to help them keep you in the dark about alternatives. It will be up to you to ferret out that information.
Your best protection comes from being an informed consumer. Find a doctor who shares your health philosophy. Subscribe to health publications and read books that give you information traditional physicians leave out. Learn to read between the lines of supplement labels and know what you need before you walk into the store
No matter what our government tries to legislate, you get the final say about what goes in your body. Even if you have to work a little harder to get the information you deserve.
Al Sears, MD
1 The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994.
2 The Durk Pearson & Sandy Shaw Life Extension News, Vol. 6 No. 2, April-May 2003, FDA Update
3 The Durk Pearson & Sandy Shaw Life Extension News, Vol. 6 No. 5, November-December 2003, FDA Update
4 Journal of the National Cancer Institute, February 18, 96: 338-339
5 Insight On the News: Symposium – The Food and Drug Administration, by Kathleen B. Deoul, spokeswoman for alternative and complimentary medicine.