Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

Submission Preview

Link to Story

FDA to More Strictly Regulate Homeopathic Drugs

Accepted submission by takyon at 2017-12-20 05:52:19
Science

The FDA is proposing a new, risk-based enforcement approach [fda.gov] to homeopathic drug products (alternative medicine):

To protect consumers who choose to use homeopathic products, this proposed new approach would update the FDA's existing policy to better address situations where homeopathic treatments are being marketed for serious diseases and/or conditions but where the products have not been shown to offer clinical benefits. It also covers situations where products labeled as homeopathic contain potentially harmful ingredients or do not meet current good manufacturing practices.

Under the law, homeopathic drug products are subject to the same requirements related to approval, adulteration and misbranding as any other drug product. However, prescription and nonprescription drug products labeled as homeopathic have been manufactured and distributed without FDA approval under the agency's enforcement policies [fda.gov] since 1988.

"In recent years, we've seen a large uptick in products labeled as homeopathic that are being marketed for a wide array of diseases and conditions, from the common cold to cancer. In many cases, people may be placing their trust and money in therapies that may bring little to no benefit in combating serious ailments, or worse – that may cause significant and even irreparable harm because the products are poorly manufactured, or contain active ingredients that aren't adequately tested or disclosed to patients," said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. "Our approach to regulating homeopathic drugs must evolve to reflect the current complexity of the market, by taking a more risk-based approach to enforcement. We respect that some individuals want to use alternative treatments, but the FDA has a responsibility to protect the public from products that may not deliver any benefit and have the potential to cause harm."

FDA draft guidance [fda.gov] (8 pages).

Also at Ars Technica [arstechnica.com] and STAT News [statnews.com].

Related: Probiotics Come with Bold Health Claims, but the Science is Shaky [soylentnews.org]
What a Gottlieb-Led FDA Might Mean for the Pharmaceutical Industry [soylentnews.org]
Supplement Maker on FDA Blacklist After Deadly Bacteria Found in Water System [soylentnews.org]
FDA Designates MDMA as a "Breakthrough Therapy" for PTSD; Approves Phase 3 Trials [soylentnews.org]
Homeopathic "Healing Bracelet" Poisons Baby With High Levels of Lead [soylentnews.org]
FDA: Love is Not an Ingredient [soylentnews.org]
FDA Cracking Down on Unsubstantiated Cannabidiol Health Claims [soylentnews.org]
FDA Blocks More Imports of Kratom, Warns Against Use as a Treatment for Opioid Withdrawal [soylentnews.org]
Biohackers Disregard FDA Warning on DIY Gene Therapy [soylentnews.org]


Original Submission