Fwd: confusion over pinellia and ephedra

[Guest guest]

A student of mine wrote the letter at the bottom of the page to the FDA

and got the following response.

 

" Lindsey Seigle " <linzseigle

 

Hello herbal activists (Karen and Todd),

 

After the CSOMA call to action via Karen's email, I submitted my letter

onto the FDA website as a comment. I actually got the response seen

down

below (FROM THE FDA), that we are exempt. Just shows that even within

the FDA, there is

confusion.

 

 

[Original Message]

Ertter-Prego, Jeannie <Jeannie.Ertter-Prego

linzseigle <linzseigle

3/29/04 7:28:11 AM

RE: Comment submitted via CFSAN QA-ASK

 

Please review the information carefully, traditional Chinese herbal

medicine is not affected.

 

 

 

Lindsey Seigle [linzseigle]

Friday, March 26, 2004 6:27 PM

Ertter-Prego, Jeannie

Comment submitted via CFSAN QA-ASK

 

 

Personal Information

Name: Lindsey Seigle

Email: linzseigle

Company:

Address: 4414 1/2 Mississippi St.

San Diego CA USA 92116

phone: 619-291-3803

fax:

 

Comment:

March 26, 2004

 

I am a student of , about to become a Licensed

Acupuncturist, and would like to voice my opinion regarding the final

FDA

ruling declaring Dietary Supplements containing Ephedrine alkaloids

adulterated. The FDA has banned the use of Ephedra (Ma Huang) and

Pinellia

(Ban Xia) because they contain ephedrine alkaloids. There are NO Adverse

Event Reports regarding the herbs Ephedra (Ma Huang) and Pinellia (Ban

Xia),

from a practitioner-restricted product. In other words, the FDA has not

followed due process with this herb.

 

I use Ephedra (Ma Huang) occasionally and Pinellia (Ban Xia) regularly

in my

supervised practice at my school and these herbs are administered safely

according to my supervisors' extensive traditional Chinese herbal

training

and national certification. Please communicate to FDA on my behalf. I

would

like to request that this recent ban be revised, to allow access to

dietary

supplements that contain ephedrine alkaloids in my practice, for use in

traditional formulas and for traditional uses.

 

Sincerely,

Lindsey Seigle

4414 1/2 Mississippi

St.

San Diego, CA 92116

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Herbs

 

 

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