Ephedra op-ed

[BTox]

Slightly different topic - whether you agree or not with the ephedra ban, this op-ed addresses the larger issue: what kind of regulatory system is this that allows these supplements to be sold until proven harmful, the opposite of ethical drugs.

As the federal government inches toward an overdue ban on the deadly diet supplement ephedra, supplement makers and consumers are rushing to risky substitutes.

And the government can't stop them.

On Dec. 27, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it soon will issue a ban on ephedra to take effect 60 days later. The action comes nearly a decade — and 155 deaths — after medical experts began noticing a surge in troubling reports about the amphetamine-like stimulant, which was being peddled to athletes and dieters.

Yet the ban fails to correct a regulatory system that assumes dietary supplements are safe until proved harmful. That standard is more lenient than those for prescription and over-the-counter drugs, which must be shown to be safe before they can be sold.

They don't explicitly say it, but this piece is advocating repeal of DSHEA. I agree.

Source: usatoday ephedra oped