| Ephedra is a stimulant that is sold to help people lose | | | | ephedrine-containing products over the Internet. |
| weight, get bigger muscles, keep them awake when | | | | Letters went to manufacturers of products that |
| they drive long distances, and a host of fraudulent | | | | contain the drug ephedrine or norephedrine |
| reasons such as to prevent and treat cancers, | | | | hydrochloride advertised to increase sexual desire and |
| allergies, and certain diseases and make you more | | | | other claims that cannot be supported by good |
| sexual. This drug has been sold over-the counter, | | | | science. U.S. Marshals seized $2.8 million worth of a |
| without need for prescription, for more that 30 years | | | | non-herbal synthetic ephedrine product marketed as |
| primarily for weight loss, energy and sports | | | | a dietary supplement. The manufacturer signed an |
| supplements. | | | | agreement prohibiting it from manufacturing and |
| The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet | | | | distributing such products. |
| issued a position statement on its safety, but they | | | | Many of the ephedra-containing products do not |
| have reported more than 100 deaths in people who | | | | warn the patient to stop the drug if they develop |
| have taken that drug? An activist group, Public | | | | side effects such as rapid or irregular heartbeat, |
| Citizen, claims that we don't need any more deaths, | | | | chest pain, severe headache, shortness of breath, |
| ephedra should be banned and that the FDA is guilty | | | | dizziness, loss of consciousness, sleeplessness or |
| of dangerous cowardice. However, there is no solid | | | | nausea. The message is that 1) no comprehensive |
| scientific data to show that ephedra kills. There is | | | | studies show that reasonable doses of ephedra are |
| only anecdotal evidence and the dangers of ephedra | | | | dangerous; 2) some sources of ephedra contain |
| have not been studies scientifically. Look what | | | | dangerous amounts of stimulants that can harm you; |
| happened with alar in apples. Apple growers lost | | | | 3) some sources contain so little ephedra that they |
| millions of dollars because of a health scare that was | | | | have no effect whatever; 4) that the health food |
| based on nonsense. The insecticide, alar, does not | | | | industry is unregulated so that you have no way of |
| cause cancer, but millions of dollars of apples had to | | | | telling the difference between a product from an |
| be destroyed because of the prejudice of certain | | | | honest manufacturer or a fraud; 5) that lawyers |
| people. Think of the many lawyers who have made | | | | have a huge financial interest in making ephedra a |
| money on claims that silicon breast implants cause | | | | poison and are driven by greed, not a search for the |
| cancer, craziness and lupus, when scientific evidence | | | | truth. |
| shows that they do not. | | | | Ephedra is a stimulant, like caffeine, and I believe that |
| Ephedra is being sold with false claims of heath | | | | small amounts of ephedra are safe for most people. I |
| benefits and since it is not a regulated drug, the | | | | also feel that Congress should repeal their 1994 law |
| products labeled ephedra may contain such high | | | | prohibiting the Food and Drug Administration from |
| doses that they can harm you or such low doses | | | | regulating herbals because today there is no way for |
| that they are worthless. The FDA sent warning | | | | you to know what you are buying. |
| letters to firms unlawfully selling non-herbal | | | | |