Dangers of Ephedra
Recent Ephedra Developments
July 25, 2003
Debate over ephedra continues to be heated. Ephedra may
be banned very soon, according to the FDA. FDA officials told lawmakers
that ephedra might have an even more grim future ahead. After the
death of Steve Bechler in February, the FDA had ordered that all
ephedra containing products contain the warning of the risks of
heart attacks, strokes, and death. The FDA commissioner told House
members that the agency is thinking of taking serious actions on
ephedra, including the possibility of banning it completely.
The Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson thinks that
dietary supplement makers should have to be required to alert the
FDA about possible risks and side effects just like any other drug
companies. The 1994 law exempts dietary supplement makers from having
to report ephedra risks and effect to the FDA. Thompson has urged
Congress to change the 1994 law. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig
has shared similar views as Thompson in urging Congress to regulate
ephedra and changing the 1994 law.
Some people are concerned with the length of time it will take
for legislation to go through if an ephedra ban is instituted. Currently,
the Justice Department is investigating Metabolife International
to see if the company lied about ephedra safety. Back in 1998, Metabolife
president told the FDA that the company had never received ephedra
safety complaints, but it was discovered later that Metabolife had
over 14,000 records of Metabolife ephedra consumer phone concerns.
For more information on Metabolife and ephedra contact us.
The American Heart Association (AHA) is
urging ephedra to be removed from the over the counter market in
its entirety.
April 3, 2003
The American Heart Association (AHA) is urging ephedra to be removed
from the over the counter market in its entirety. The AMA points
not only to the extreme dangers of ephedra but the ineffectiveness
of the supplement. In addition to the reports of mainly cardiovascular
events, ephedra users suffered instances of high blood pressure,
stroke, heart attacks, and death. The ephedra-containing product
manufacturers claim that using the supplements will allow for an
enhanced athletic performance, as well as weight loss. The AHA says,
“There is no such thing as a magic weight loss pill”
and the lack of standards for ephedra use is the reason consumers
are unaware of the actual amount of ephedra contained in the supplements.
April 3, 2003
One of the largest sponsors of NASCAR, the ephedra-containing product
sponsor has led the sport to the center of controversy. NASCAR has
one of the toughest drug policies amongst professional sports but
has continued to allow ephedra-products to be used.
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April 3, 2003
The House Energy and Commerce Committee sent letters to the commissioner
of baseball, Bud Selig and the union head Donald Fehr. The committee
wanted documents about ephedra use in baseball and requested to
receive it by April 16, 2003. The coroner for the MLB pitcher Steve
Bechler said ephedra was in fact in a contributor to his death.
The union has been criticized for resisting ephedra bans in the
past. Similar requests are expected from the NFL, NBA, and NASCAR.
The congressional hearings will be held on ephedra later in the
spring of 2003. Fehr said reports from the FDA and other Washington
agencies were expected soon.
For more information on the dangers
of ephedra contact us to confer with an ephedra attorney.
April 1, 2003
Massachusetts’s lawmakers began to debate a bill to ban ephedra-containing
products. If the ephedra bill passes the state will be able to confiscate
all ephedra-containing products from stores. A vote on the ephedra
bill will occur late April or in May. A Harvard nutrition medicine
professor testified in support of the ban and stated that, “there
are no long-term studies assessing the effects of these supplements
on weight loss”. Ephedra has been linked to at least 100 recent
deaths.
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March 31, 2003
There is a growing concern that doctors are considering financial
gains over patient safety in regards to prescribing ephedra. Practices
that have been promoting ephedra-containing products have found
there have been financial rewards that go alongside it. Especially
in a time of rising malpractice insurance premiums, doctors are
happy to welcome an aspect to their practices that will allow them
to become a high volume office. While selling ephedra is not illegal,
many questions why medical professionals would prescribe a dietary
supplement that has been linked to instances of high blood pressure,
stroke, heart attacks, and death. Dr. Leonard Morse, chairman of
the American Medical Association’s council commented that,
“you can’t exploit the patient for your own financial
interest.” The American Medical Association is trying to have
ephedra removed from the market.
For more information on the dangers
of ephedra contact us to confer with an ephedra attorney.
March 28, 2003
The Missouri Attorney General is suing an ephedra-containing dietary
supplement maker because the company has failed to disclose health
risks in addition to making false claims about its effectiveness.
Both the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission are trying to decide
what to do about allowing ephedra to remain on the market as the
controversial subject continues to heat up.
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FDA changing rules on dietary supplements
March 8, 2003
The FDA has finally responded to the dangers of dietary supplements,
including ephedra. The agency has been highly criticized for the
lack of response to the dangerous and long overdue changes. Advocates
have been pushing for stricter regulations on dietary supplements
and the recent death of baseball player Steve Bechler only created
more questions as to why the FDA has failed to make changes thus
far. The FDA has claimed that due to the 1994 Dietary Supplement
Health and Education Act that did not allow them to regulate natural
remedies it must be proven that supplements like ephedra must be
shown to have deadly or dangerous effects.
Although the FDA has failed to enforce new rules on ephedra, the
International Olympic Committee, NFL, and the NCAA have already
banned its use due to the deaths and risk of injury linked to ephedra.
The FDA announcement to impose new rules on dietary supplements
was made on March 7, 2003 to force manufacturers to make clean and
accurately labeled products. This ephedra ruling is moving in a
positive direction, however many consumer groups and activists still
feel the change is in adequate. Changes have been made in response
to instances of contaminants that have been found in supplements,
but there have been no changes issues as of yet to require manufacturers
show ephedra and other supplements are safe or effective.
For more information on the dangers
of ephedra contact us to confer with an ephedra attorney.
February 28, 2003
Public Citizen issues a press release “concerning FDA’s
failure to ban ephedra.” The director of Public Citizen’s
Health Research Group, Dr. Sidney Wolfe, made the statement alleging
Commissioner Mark McClellan has violated a principal of the Hippocratic
Oath he swore to in the past with the theory “First, Do No
Harm” by failing to ban ephedra despite over 100 FDA received
reports of ephedra deaths.
McClellan’s lack of ephedra ruling demonstrated a lack of
ethics that should not allow to be the FDA Commissioner any longer
according to Wolfe, and should be forced out of office alongside
the HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson who has failed to utilize his authority
to enforce an ephedra ban. Public Citizen first petitioned the FDA
to ban ephedra-containing products in September 2001 and said they
are now seriously considering a lawsuit against the FDA/HHS in order
to force an ephedra ban.
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February 28, 2003
The federal government announced they would begin to take steps
on further restricting ephedra. The so-called “steps”
was not strong enough according to many groups, including the American
Medical Association who recommended a ban be put into place.
The secretary of health and human services, Tommy Thompson said
he would call for new ephedra labeling warnings, however these steps
are considered inadequate by many, including consumer advocacy group
Public Citizen who issues a statement regarding ephedra. Certain
members of Congress also voiced their disagreement with the government’s
failure to immediately ban ephedra, including Senator Dick Durban
who has investigated reports linking ephedra to death, as well as
strokes, heatstroke, heart arrythmias, and psychotic episodes.
So far, the FDA has received over 1,400 reports of ephedra adverse
effects. Officials claim if concluding ephedra fails to meet the
imminent hazard standard they might ask Congress to rewrite the
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994.
February 28, 2003
David Wells claims that up to 40% of all major league baseball players
use steroids and that amphetamines are available for use in clubhouses.
Wells wrote an autobiography which will be released in a month and
included in the book is saying amphetamine use is so common that
if you “stand in the middle of your clubhouse and walk 10
feet in any direction, chances are you’ll find what you need”
and that the use of substances are continuing to rise amongst ball
players. Included in pills that Wells wrote were stockpiled over
the season was Ripped Fuel and other ephedra containing supplements.
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February 27, 2003
Baseball has announced ephedra is no longer allowed in the minor
leagues. The recent death of Steve Bechler led up to the decision
since ephedra has not yet been able to be banned in the major league.
Commissioner Bud Selig made the ephedra decision on February 24,
2003.
February 24, 2003
Fitness experts renew warnings regarding dietary supplements containing
ephedra in response to the death of Steve Bechler.
February 24, 2003
The baseball player’s union is waiting results from toxicology
tests from the death of Steve Bechler prior to deciding if ephedra
should be banned. Baseball player union head Donald Fehr said that
taking a stand on banning ephedra would still be premature.
February 22, 2003
The MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has asked ephedra be banned from
the league in light of the recent death of Steve Bechler.
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February 21, 2003
Waxman sends additional letters to the Major League Baseball Players
Association, NHL, and NBA questioning why ephedra has not yet been
banned.
February 21, 2003
Baseball management and baseball players’ union received a
letter from two lawmakers, Rep. John E. Sweeney (R-N.Y.) and Sen.
Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), containing aggressive words regarding
their disagreement with the continuation to risk deadly and serious
effects to occur to players due to the lack of ephedrine stance
the league has taken. Sweeney was quoted as saying the MLB has done
“too little, too late” and the MLB’s allowance
of ephedra to be used by players “in my view, irresponsible
and negligent”.
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February 21, 2003
Selig issues a statement saying the league office and team officials
will meet with the players union regarding the use of ephedrine
and other potentially dangerous dietary and nutritional supplements.
February 21, 2003
Senator Orrin Hatch issued a statement saying the federal government
has the power to ban ephedra and if they are planning on taking
such action immediate decisions should be made. In the past Hatch
has been a supporter of the dietary supplement industry so his statement
was a change from previous ones made. Hatch has received $137,000
in campaign contributions from supplement makers according to reports
from the Center for Responsive Politics.
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February 20, 2003
The FDA is investigating whether to ban ephedra in response to the
most recent death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler. Since
the FDA is unable to regulate herbal supplements, the agency must
prove clear dangers is present before it is able to ban sales. The
FDA commissioner feels that the dangers of ephedra would be immediately
evaluated so that the agency can take appropriate steps.
February 19, 2003
Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif) has been one of the most vocal critics
of ephedrine products and wrote to MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and
demanded to know why the MLB has still not prohibited the use of
ephedra. The NFL, International Olympic Committee, and the NCAA
have all banned ephedra use already and the death of Steve Bechler
may be the final incident to force the MLB to make changes. Waxman
requested Selig answer six questions regarding the sport’s
policy on drugs to be answered by March 1, 2003.
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If you would like more information on ephedra please contact
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