Medical News

January 26 2004–In response to the FDA’s attempt to conduct the first-ever ban of a herbal dietary supplement, ephedra, public outcry is being heard loud and clear on the forum page of ephedra.com.

Since the FDA’s announcement of the intended ban of all dietary supplements containing the herb ephedra, a flood comments supporting the continued marketing of ephedra have been pouring into the website. Members of the ephedra.com forum are presenting mounds of information both contesting the alleged danger of ephedra, discrediting numerous studies, including those contracted for the FDA by the Rand Corporation, and providing information and research that clearly support ephedra, a herb that has been used for nearly 5000 years in China, as a safe product.

The FDA is being verbally pounded by ephedra.com forum members against the FDA for supporting unfair bias against dietary supplements in collaboration with the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a body of experts whose members are substantially comprised of pharmaceutical company executives. Other allegations being made on the website include the FDA’s use of ephedra’s unfair allotment of bad press with the eventual intent to regulate vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbal and various other nutritional supplements with the eventual intent to institute a system like the one in the UK, where many supplements have been banned or reduced to a point that many consumers feel that they are no longer effective. These public opinions only add to the sting of criticism by Chinese medical practitioners, who are ridiculing American’s for our ignorance of the safe use of herbal products and our public embrace of the hype surrounding ephedra.

“I can’t imagine how stupid the Americans must be,” said Chinese Herbal Safety Committee spokesperson Zhou Li Quing. “We’ve had this
stuff for like 5000 years. The Americans get it for a few decades and screw it all up. Morons.”

Members of the website forum at ephedra.com, contend that they have used the herb safely and with few, if any, side effects. Others are hoping to find a replacement for the ephedra containing supplements in the hope of fighting obesity and other conditions such as asthma.

Whether supported by the public or not, the FDA ban on ephedra containing herb products, excluding Chinese traditional herbal remedies and herbal teas, is due to begin in March, if the action passes congressional review.

Anyone interested in voicing their opinion on the ephedra ban is encouraged to join the forum and share their thoughts at ephedra.com.    

January 26 2004–In response to the FDA’s attempt to conduct the first-ever ban of a herbal dietary supplement, ephedra, public outcry is being heard loud and clear on the forum page of ephedra.com.

Since the FDA’s announcement of the intended ban of all dietary supplements containing the herb ephedra, a flood comments supporting the continued marketing of ephedra have been pouring into the website. Members of the ephedra.com forum are presenting mounds of information both contesting the alleged danger of ephedra, discrediting numerous studies, including those contracted for the FDA by the Rand Corporation, and providing information and research that clearly support ephedra, a herb that has been used for nearly 5000 years in China, as a safe product.

The FDA is being verbally pounded by ephedra.com forum members against the FDA for supporting unfair bias against dietary supplements in collaboration with the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a body of experts whose members are substantially comprised of pharmaceutical company executives. Other allegations being made on the website include the FDA’s use of ephedra’s unfair allotment of bad press with the eventual intent to regulate vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbal and various other nutritional supplements with the eventual intent to institute a system like the one in the UK, where many supplements have been banned or reduced to a point that many consumers feel that they are no longer effective. These public opinions only add to the sting of criticism by Chinese medical practitioners, who are ridiculing American’s for our ignorance of the safe use of herbal products and our public embrace of the hype surrounding ephedra.

“I can’t imagine how stupid the Americans must be,” said Chinese Herbal Safety Committee spokesperson Zhou Li Quing. “We’ve had this
stuff for like 5000 years. The Americans get it for a few decades and screw it all up. Morons.”

Members of the website forum at ephedra.com, contend that they have used the herb safely and with few, if any, side effects. Others are hoping to find a replacement for the ephedra containing supplements in the hope of fighting obesity and other conditions such as asthma.

Whether supported by the public or not, the FDA ban on ephedra containing herb products, excluding Chinese traditional herbal remedies and herbal teas, is due to begin in March, if the action passes congressional review.

Anyone interested in voicing their opinion on the ephedra ban is encouraged to join the forum and share their thoughts at ephedra.com.