Dr. Pieter Cohen this month wrote an article on contaminated supplements that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, outlining the concers many healthcare professionals have regarding the use of over the counter supplements. He will be a guest with Dr. Joe Galati this week on Your Health First.
In one of the most dangerous cities in the United States, oneportly police sergeant has more to worry about than crime. Hisdoctor had been encouraging him for years to lose weight, andlike millions of other Americans, he decided to try a weight-losssupplement to help him shed his extra pounds. But instead oflosing weight, he lost his job. According to the label, hisdiet pills, which were imported from Brazil and sold in theUnited States, contained vitamin E, centella, senna, and cascara,among other "natural" ingredients. Not included on the labelwas the amphetamine detected in his urine drug screen. The now-unemployedsergeant is not alone. Such contaminated supplements representan emerging risk to public health.
In August 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)discovered more products, most of them labeled as dietary supplements,that contain a wide variety of undeclared active pharmaceuticalingredients. Now, more than 140 contaminated products have beenidentified, but these represent only a fraction of the contaminatedsupplements on the market. Unfortunately, lenient regulatoryoversight of dietary supplements, combined with the FDA's lackof resources, has created a marketplace in which manufacturerscan introduce hazardous new products with virtual impunity.Although manufacturers have since 2007 been required to reportserious supplement-related adverse events to the FDA, the greatmajority of the estimated 50,000 adverse events that occur annuallyremain unreported.
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them labeled as dietary supplements, that contain a wide variety of undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients. Now, more than 140 contaminated products have been identified, but these represent only a fraction of the contaminated supplements on the market. Unfortunately, lenient regulatory oversight of dietary supplements, combined with the FDA's lack of resources, has created a marketplace in which manufacturers can introduce hazardous new products with virtual impunity. Although manufacturers have since 2007 been required to report serious supplement-related adverse events to the FDA, the great majority of the estimated 50,000 adverse events that occur annually remain unreported.
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