Tuesday, January 13, 2009
FTC regulating drugs?
Well, actually, they're regulating fake drugs (i.e. untested herbal supplements). I saw this on Terra Sigillata at Scienceblogs and I must say, I applaud their efforts. The FDA regulates real drugs, but "supplements" are not under their jurisdiction. It's a multibillion dollar industry that (with a few exceptions) at best only wastes peoples money. But companies claiming that their extracts can cure cancer or treat diabetes are putting people's lives in danger. It looks like the federal trade commission has stepped in to stop the worst offenders. Hopefully this trend continues and "supplements" end up getting some real regulation.
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Thank heavens. I'm sure there will be a stink raised by the alternative therapies community about "government regulation," and "being slaves to the Western medical paradigm" blah blah blah, but something had to be done to regulate those things. If people want to subscribe to a sham, then so be it. But I certainly don't want people killing themselves with these treatments or eschewing appropriate care because of snake oil. Go FTC!
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