Tag: Food and Drug Administration

Kratom – An Emerging Herbal Drug

Kratom is an emerging herbal drug used for pain and fatigue but also has abuse potential. What is the current state of the science?

/ August 29, 2018

FDA blacklists cesium chloride, ineffective and dangerous naturopathic cancer treatment

The FDA recently issued an alert warning of significant safety risks associated with cesium chloride. It is a mineral salt promoted by naturopathic “doctors” and “integrative” medicine practitioners as an alternative treatment for cancer, despite the lack of evidence of safety and efficacy in treating cancer or any other disease.

/ August 2, 2018

Aloe Vera

Many claims are made for the health benefits of aloe vera, used both topically and orally. The scientific evidence is lacking.

/ July 10, 2018

The very worst version of the sham known as “right-to-try” is poised to become law

"Right-to-try" laws are a cruel sham that purport to allow terminally ill patients access to promising experimental drugs. In reality, they strip away many protections and leave vulnerable patients on their own. After four years and a number of toothless state laws, a federal version of "right-to-try" is poised to become law. A version passed by the Senate could be voted on...

/ May 21, 2018

Crowdfunding unproven stem cell treatments: overstated efficacy, unstated risks

Crowdfunding campaigns for unproven stem cell treatments exaggerate the benefits and underemphasize the risks, all the while raising considerable funds and generating social media buzz.

/ May 10, 2018

The Elephant in the Compounding Pharmacy

Contaminated products from compounding pharmacies have harmed and even killed patients. Quality control measures are being implemented, but there is a bigger problem: the injudicious use of untested and potentially dangerous treatments.

/ January 16, 2018

FDA Proposes Changes to Homeopathy Regulation

The FDA has proposed new guidelines for regulating homeopathy. They sound encouraging, and may signal a new era of actual regulation of the homeopathic industry.

/ December 20, 2017

Faith and Supplements – B17

Amygdalin is a toxic snake oil dating back to 1830, but it is still sold today with a combination of supplement industry deception, faith, and conspiracy theories.

/ September 13, 2017

Naturopathy and dubious compounding pharmacies: A deadly combination

In March, it was widely reported that a young woman named Jade Erick had died suddenly of a hypersensitivity reaction while undergoing an infusion of intravenous curcumin ordered by a naturopath named Kim Kelly to treat her eczema. The FDA investigated and found egregious problems with the injectable curcumin used. This tragic incident thus serves to demonstrate how dangerous a combination naturopaths...

/ August 7, 2017

Sen. Ron Johnson: Holding the bill funding the FDA hostage unless the cruel sham that is right-to-try is added to it

Advocates claim that "right-to-try" laws help terminally patients by allowing them access to experimental drugs before approval, when, in fact, such laws strip legal and regulatory protections from patients using such drugs and their purpose is actually to undermine and weaken the FDA. Now advocates led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) are making a new push to pass right-to-try by embedding it...

/ July 17, 2017