“would give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the power to restrict the sale of vitamin supplements, minerals, and herbs”

I agree that the FDA should regulate the claims, but they should not decide which products I can and cannot purchase.

Dr. Covelli.

I find it odd that drugs like aspirin have to be carefully regulated but vitamins and “herbal supplements” do not – and can contain pretty much anything, there are no standards. However, at the same time I’m leery of government regulation and power over things and don’t trust their judgment.

95% of the supplements you run across at your local Wal-Mart, GNC, drug store, etc. have never been scientifically proven to do anything for anyone.

Global warming was scientifically proven…

Politicians need to butt out of medicine, period.
Getting the FDA involved further than they already are in supplements is only going to impact the price of the supplement. Not the availability nor the claims they make.

I would be more concerned about what these ‘remedies’ actually do than what they claim to do. People should be free to buy any of these things and believe they will make them live to 100. But they need to be reasonably sure this stuff won’t kill them now. Remember St John’s Wort?

Just because they’re natural doesn’t mean they’re safe.

And, since there’s no rules regarding these “supplements” you can be taking rat crap and saguaro needles in a pill that claims to be chondroiton and glucosamine. Who knows?

I can tell now, supporters for regulating supplements are obviously in need of nanny government protecting them from harming themselves.

If you are going to take something off the shelf with out doing any research or getting advice from a dietitian or qualified trainer, you deserve what you get.

For the rest of the people that actually do the research and use supplements the way they are intended, they get results.
Doesn’t matter if its B12, protein, creatine, potassium, etc.

Being disgruntled that your snake oil didnt cure all, or hurt you and crying to nanny gov for help stopping the greedy salesman doesn’t work.
Snake oil has been around and hasn’t gone away and people still buy it.

Just to be clear about it, I’m not saying I think the market for supplements and homeopathic remedies should be an unregulated free-for-all. But it seems to me that if pharmaceutical companies are allowed to boost their profits substantially by advertising their claims for their products directly to lay people who are unqualified to diagnose medical/psychiatric conditions and unable to purchase those products directly, then the manufacturers of supplements and homeopathic remedies should get similar leeway.

Posted by martinhale
2010-02-25 15:11:34

The difference there is that people still need a prescription to get those drugs. The doctors still have some responsibility. These homebrews are over the counter.

John hates regulation that he doesn’t understand, it seems.

John hates regulation that he doesn’t understand, it seems.
Posted by Jack Schite 2010-02-25 15:33:22

WHAT?

No snarky comments about the HealthCare Summit? Still trying to figure out a way to spin to so that Obama and Reid DIDN’T get their asses handed to them?

It’s not the government’s job to pick winners and losers in the marketplace, but they do have a responsibility to play the role of an umpire, to insure that Americans aren’t being lied to about the products they’re being sold.

The problem with this statement is that Consumer Reports and UL Laboratories are two examples of independent third parties who are not government institutions.

I think the FDA could recommend that consumers highly consider third party assessments before making purchases but regulation is not necessary.

John hates regulation that he doesn’t understand, it seems.
Posted by Jack Schite
2010-02-25 15:33:22

Then your comments should be regulated because there is a lot that you don’t understand.

Just when you think Jack couldn’t get any stupider…

I’d be ok with a simple restriction saying that any health claim made by a supplement (or any food) has to be backed up by a specific scientific study, and that advertisements making such a reference have to advise consumers to consult a physician for any health issues.

That way we at least avoid ads that make it sound like a supplement pill can cure glaucoma or prevent cancer based solely on its brand name, but avoid heavy-handed government intrusion. If people don’t talk to their doctor, well, it’s their own fault then.

If you’re talking about regulations to make sure supplements are safe to consume, I agree. But I don’t see a need for regulations to make sure dietary supplements aren’t placebos.

Posted by Mike_M
2010-02-25 16:15:25

The only other thing I’d add would be that like foods, the product be free of contamanents(sp) etc. possibly subject to FDA inspection and fines.

Posted by paulehansen
2010-02-25 15:32:41

Paul, maybe I didn’t do a good job of making my point, but I want to emphasize again that I don’t favour an unregulated market for supplements and homeopathic remedies.

I was trying to point out one of the glaring ways in which our current regulatory environment has veered away from it’s stated mission of public safety. Ever since the mid-90′s, it’s been ‘expedited approvals’ from the FDA and the FTC loosing the pharmaceutical companies on the the public, a combination which points to the fact that both the FDA and the FTC are no longer focused solely on public safety. Seemingly, they now find it fairly important to be concerned with corporate earnings of the industries they regulate as well.

While in theory, you’re right that doctors and other prescribing authorities should serve as a line of defence against people taking drugs which might present a risk to them. And for the most part, they do that. But doctors, NP’s and PA’s are people too. All too often, after listening to a soccer mommy go on for five minutes about their precious Achmed or Natalia needing this or that, and they think to themselves “what the heck, this isn’t going to actually hurt the patient, so why not, if it’ll shut them up”, then they reach for the scrip pad. I’ve worked with doctors since 1971, and I have a good sense of how often that happens. It makes me more than a little sceptical of their ability to be that last line of defence which you imagine.

Witness the sudden rise of drug-resistant disease profiles – part of the cause is the overprescription of antibiotics, which is the direct result of providers caving in to pressure exerted by patients and of defensive medicine. Witness the Vioxx/Bectra/Celebrex fiasco which resulted from ‘expedited approval’.

Part of what I’m questioning is why we would decide to drive more items into an already overwhelmed and compromised regulatory environment. That just doesn’t seem wise.

Honestly, Mr. Hawkins, I’ve got to disagree here. My sense is that most reasonable people take the claims of homeopathic remedies with a grain of salt. Before they run out and load up on supplements they try to find either a little bit of research or a trusted person to give them a bit of advice. Even then, they only look at it as a supplement. I suspect the regulated nature of most perscription drugs makes otherwise intelligent and sceptical people ignore the need for independent judgement and reasonable caution in using anything that has been perscribed.

Overall I kindof like the idea of trying to make sure these supplements are safe but the government cannot even regulate itself so I am sceptical they could regulate supplements.

Just when you think Jack err I couldn’t get any stupider…
Posted by Christopher_Taylor

There fixed it for yah you homophobic bigot!!!

Are you going to do this on every single thread, you asshat?

Amazing…John Hawkins is a “Big Government Guy” expressing the Progressive BS that the little people are too stupid to take care of themselves.

If people really are too stupid to know that they are wasting their money, or taking things that are harmful to themselves (reminds me of the 2008, elections), then survival of the fittest (physically and mentally) should weed them out so we never again get the idiots voting to destroy America as they did in 2008.

Disgusting John Hawkins; very disgusting!

I’m re-evaluating my previous comment; maybe, Obama should have had a warning label posted on his forehead so all the little stupid people wouldn’t have harmed themselves by voting for him.

Hey John, we do need “Big Government” after all, great!

[...] my esteemed co-blogger John Hawkins wrote a post stating that he agrees with John McCain about regulating nutritional supplements. They're both wrong.First, it's important to examine how effective the FDA is in protecting the [...]

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