"All Americans should know the exact ingredients of any dietary supplement they use and the FDA must have the tools necessary to ensure the safety of dietary supplements."
—John McCain (R-AZ), introducing the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010
If only.
If there were ever any doubt that our regulatory framework for supplements is a toothless tiger, they pretty much got laid to rest last week. McCain withdrew support for his own eminently reasonable bill, apparently caving to pressure from the supplement industry's primary champion, Orrin Hatch (R-UT).
We've heard about the many side effects that can be attributed to herbal supplements, such as sudden death and disruption of legitimate medical treatment. Fewer of us are probably aware that some supplement manufacturers are spiking their products with steroids and other drugs. This has aroused the keen attention of professional sports leagues because athletes are well-known to take a lot of supplements.
I've been known, from time to time, to indulge in a rant about nutritional supplements at social gatherings. I complain that they aren't nearly as well-regulated as other medical products. But now I'm starting to understand that they aren't even as well-regulated as food. That's shocking.
When DSHEA passed in 1994, supplements were a cottage industry. Since that time it has grown into a multi-billion-dollar behemoth. It's difficult to know what the actual size of the industry is, however, as so much of it's growth has taken place over the Internet. All we can accurately measure are the sales happening at retail, likely a tiny portion of the real market.
Seriously, people. Are we really going to maintain this great a double standard in our regulations? Do we really want to subject actual medicine to such intense and sustained scrutiny and then not even ask what's contained in these other pills?
This is not a proud moment for the US. We are choosing to take a greater interest in protecting the profits of rogue players than in protecting public health.
Please take a moment to learn more and spread the word. I can't imagine we would tolerate this situation as we have if it were more broadly understood.
If FDA won't (or can't) protect us, it is clear that we must protect ourselves. I refuse to purchase any more of these products until such time as they can be expected to substantiate their own safety. Please consider joining me in making that choice.
Tags: FDA
