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I wrote a letter about 6 months ago urging my senator not to restrict dietary supplements. Yesterday, I received a reply. What a load of bullshit.
Dear xxx:
Thank you for contacting me regarding federal regulation of dietary supplements. I agree that this is an important matter, and I appreciate your comments.
When I began to consider this issue, I believed that the Food and Drug Administration already had ample authority to regulate dietary supplements. Upon further examination, however, I have become concerned that the current regulatory structure contains serious loopholes. The Senate Commerce Committee, of which I am a member, held hearings in October on the safety of certain dietary supplements, and the information presented there led me to believe that our current system is inadequate to protect public health.
The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act contains provisions that allow the FDA to remove supplements from the market if they are deemed to pose an immediate hazard or an unreasonable risk to public health. This is determined by the number and severity of "adverse event reports" (AERs). There is some evidence, however, that AERs, sometimes numbering in the thousands, have not been reported to the FDA. Faced with this lack of adequate reporting, I believe that more stringent standards may be necessary.
I want to stress that no one in the Senate has any interest in removing supplements such as Vitamin C from the market. Our concern lies solely with substances that have been linked to serious injuries and deaths.
I will continue to support efforts to ensure the safety of our food and drugs, and I thank you for your comments.
Dear xxx:
Thank you for contacting me regarding federal regulation of dietary supplements. I agree that this is an important matter, and I appreciate your comments.
When I began to consider this issue, I believed that the Food and Drug Administration already had ample authority to regulate dietary supplements. Upon further examination, however, I have become concerned that the current regulatory structure contains serious loopholes. The Senate Commerce Committee, of which I am a member, held hearings in October on the safety of certain dietary supplements, and the information presented there led me to believe that our current system is inadequate to protect public health.
The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act contains provisions that allow the FDA to remove supplements from the market if they are deemed to pose an immediate hazard or an unreasonable risk to public health. This is determined by the number and severity of "adverse event reports" (AERs). There is some evidence, however, that AERs, sometimes numbering in the thousands, have not been reported to the FDA. Faced with this lack of adequate reporting, I believe that more stringent standards may be necessary.
I want to stress that no one in the Senate has any interest in removing supplements such as Vitamin C from the market. Our concern lies solely with substances that have been linked to serious injuries and deaths.
I will continue to support efforts to ensure the safety of our food and drugs, and I thank you for your comments.
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