fda and ephedra

[Guest guest]

Greetings all,

 

This situation has brought up many thoughts that I just felt like sharing.

 

Isn't it kinda funny how some OTC drugs like aspirin, which causes many

hospitalizations and deaths every year - just how many? in the thousands if I

remember correctly . . .will not be pulled of the shelves like they are doing

with

ephedra extract, not to be confused, but still confused, with the herb ma

huang that TCM practitioners might use.

Not to suspect a conspiracy theory, but under this administration and the

powerful phar. company, one wonders if the phar. might not benefit in two ways -

 

1. they can regulate the diet industry under their " chemically synthesized "

and safe? combination of " ephedrine and psuedoephedrine " , regulated under the

FDA as drugs. THis prescript. diet-pill industry has a very good return on the

dollar. And a few industries could control all of it because of this rule and

we know that obesity is the number one killer in the USA?? and growing, no

pun intended.

 

HAving written that, this idea to regulate " ephedrine alkaloids " might not be

a bad one because the truck stop versions of ephedra are . . . and the

public may need some protection from those.

 

but in the process of all of this, the pharmaceuticals are also going to

benefit in another way perhaps. . .

2. asthma is also on the increase. . .would that follow that inhaled steroids

are too?

3. And they discredit our profession at the same time so that people will

become weary of any herb and trust only their doctor who prescribes

pharmaceuticals.

I have patients who are hesitant to take ANY chinese herbs.

 

 

 

I would really like a good reading on this rule. It would be quite good if

the FDA made it clear to ourselves and to the general public that it does NOT

include TCM practitioners who prescribe ma huang for their patients. Is

anyone, an attorney or other, in any of our lobby groups looking into this for

us?

SHould we send out our own press releases to our communities/local papers? If

anyone is doing this, pls. let the group know so that we can copy and send it

out. I do think that we need to take a strong stand on this one. Our use and

the use of truck stop/weight loss gems are vastly different this time and we

have a great deal of historical evidence behind us. But we need to get active.

I cannot organize this, but would be very interested in helping someone else

who take a lead. This might be the one that we need to get political

about....or maybe will it be ginseng. . .baby boomers are getting older you

know!

 

I realize that I've rambled and I appreciate your willingness to let me do

so. Maybe that box of acup. needles from only NINE yrs. ago got me started. It

was left with the following stamp:

 

" (FOr U.S. - practitioners only)

" Caution: Invetigational Device

limited by U.S. law to investigational use. "

 

regards,

 

Susan Froehlich, LAc

Hood River, OR USA

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

just how many? in the thousands if I

remember correctly .

>>>>2000-3000 deaths per year

Alon