OPINIONEphedra: A step backwardsA recent judicial ruling struck a blow at the Food and Drug Administration's ban on the food supplement, renewing very real safety concerns about its availability.Editorial. May 23/30, 2005. Just a little over a year ago, the Food and Drug Administration wisely banned the sale of products that contain the dietary supplement ephedra, an amphetamine-like herb used for weight loss. This prohibition came in the wake of reports to the FDA of more than 18,000 adverse events and an estimated 100 deaths tied to ephedra. When the agency's action became official, it was widely heralded as a big consumer-protection victory. But just days after the ban's first anniversary, a U.S. District Court judge in Utah overturned it. That April 13 ruling has created concern among physicians and other health professionals that what they see as a life-threatening substance ultimately will return to the marketplace. These worries are well-founded. The AMA, which has policy in strong support of the complete ban on ephedra alkaloids in dietary supplements, was deeply disappointed by the decision. The Association believes it will put America's patients back in harm's way. Bottom line: Dietary supplements containing ephedra carry serious -- even fatal -- health risks, including seizure, stroke, psychiatric problems and heart attack. The 2003 death of 23-year-old Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Belcher, for instance, became a focal point in the ephedra debate. A range of scientific evidence underscores these hazards, and they apply even to very healthy people. Supplements are governed by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, under which these products are regulated like food and assumed to be safe until the FDA proves them harmful. [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2005 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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