The FDA is no doubt pulling the strings on this.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a policy statement explaining that the agency will hold efficacy and safety claims for over-the-counter (OTC) homeopathic drugs to the same standard as claims for other OTC drugs. This means homeopathic OTC products will need to back up claims with “competent and reliable scientific evidence” for health-related claims, or else use certain FDA-approved disclaimers.
Here are some examples of acceptable disclaimers, as noted in the FTC’s policy statement: “There is no scientific evidence that the product works,” or “The product’s claims are based only on theories of homeopathy from the 1700s that are not accepted by most modern medical experts.”
We’ve been expecting this attack on homeopathy for some time. Last year, the FTC held a workshop to discuss the advertising of OTC homeopathic formulations. The FDA also held a public hearing to evaluate enforcement policies for homeopathic drugs.
The pretense for such actions, of course, is consumer protection and safety, but there’s little reason to believe this is genuine. No one has any concern for properly produced homeopathic products, which have been used for centuries without harm. These medicines are often so diluted that the original ingredient is virtually undetectable. Homeopathic products must also go through an approval process with a monograph from the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States, which ensures homeopathic products are both safe and effective.
The most likely motivation of the FTC is that the homeopathic industry is rapidly expanding, which presents a clear threat to pharmaceutical drug company profits, which is enough for the FDA to put homeopathy in its scopes. The FDA often works in conjunction with the FTC, as we’ve seen in similar attacks on advertising claims of natural products (e.g., the case of POM Wonderful).
This is all contrary to the expressed choices of consumers. In a survey of 20,000 consumers who had purchased at least one OTC homeopathic product in the past two years, more than 96% said they were very or extremely satisfied with the results of the homeopathic medicines they had used.
As of yet, no official rule or guidance on this issue has been proposed, so we have no opportunity for engagement. We will be monitoring the situation closely. When the time comes, we must let the FTC and FDA know what we think of their crony capitalist move.
Other articles in this week’s Pulse of Natural Health:
Big Pharma Reaches into the Womb
Ohio Moves to Rein in Nutritional Monopolists
65 comments
Comments are closed.
The irony is overwhelming. People die in hospitals at the rate of 440,000 per year due to mistakes, medications and carelessness and you want to worry about homeopathic medications. Do you read the side effects on the medications big pharma wants to protect from common sense and right to choose how your illness or affliction is treated. Big pharma has a worrying trend of coming out with a patent on the herbs in a remedy previously sold over the counter. Let me choose which I want to use and stop the greedy grab that is extending to privatizing everything and consumers watching their bills skyrocket.
In view of what we know about pharmaceuticals and the motivations of their makers, a, “This product’s reputation is based on Homeopathic theories from the 1700’s that aren’t accepted by…” is a label I’d put on my hypothetical product with a lot of pride.
But let’s wish ’em good luck w/their “blockbuster drugs” anyway.
”People die in hospitals at the rate of 440,000 per year due to mistakes, medications and carelessnes.” Citations needed?. As for homeopathic then people who choose it may put their health or even lives at risk if they delay or reject treatments for which there is good evidence for.
As for the package insert then these are more legal documents rather than scientific ones. Also a person would need to weight the risks and benefits of the drug as well. If any adverse event is reported during clinical trials then it will make it onto the package insert, regardless of how likely the adverse event was due to drug in question.
Evidently the FTC with FDA support does not want to see a healthy population as it wants every person to financially support the corrupt pharmaceutical companies who do not want people to be naturally Healthy!
A patient cured is a dollar lost.
Actually, a patient cured is tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars lost.
Homeopathy works for me and the many people I know who use it. Pharma drugs? – some of the side effects of some of them are too numerous and dangerous to consider.
Maybe the FDA should research more closely the efficacy of vaccines and GMO foods….With a former mouthpiece of Monsanto as its head, that’s unlikely.
From what I’ve read, allergies have increased 50% since the GMO scheme appeared in our lives.
And a scheme it is….I don’t think Monsanto should have any say in domestic or foreign policy, but it seems to get its reach into those areas at times.
We have to get them kicked out of this country, just like 40 other countries have.
Good luck with that, They are trying to merge with Bayer. I’d say they sprout up like weeds, but most weeds are harmless. They are trying to put a seven-acre greenhouse in my city and we’re fighting them like crazy, but found out they were guaranteed approval before they even bought the land. Still fighting it and amazed at the number of people who feel as I do. First step postponed until February “to address voter concerns,” but it’s hard to win.
Hit them with studies from Proffessor Gilles-Eric Seralini, PHD… has dedicated his world, his life, to studying effects of pollutions on health, esp. effects of corn & soy GMO’s, Round Up Ready Soy & Corn, sponges for Round up. BT- newly mutated insecticide transformed corn to produce it’s own insecticid. GMO;s effects, esp. on human cells, Mammal health… Round Up is 7 times more toxic the Glyphosate alone…hidden poisons…Petrolium distillate residues..burns oxydizes the cells…irritating any kind of cells, gut cells, kidney…will allow the pollutants inside the cells, the epithelium, of the body. It was a Fraud for Monsanto to declare that in fact, Glyphosate was the only active ingredient in RounUp. They are hiding the petrollium distillates that are corrosive detergents and they are hidden in any pesticides…Round up is the most widely used. Glyphosates are allowed to be sprayed on all grains as a desiccant. And the FDA has suspended it’s testing for glyphosate residues.
The NAS called for studies by the product!
These people are so crooked.
I wish I could be there to help you drive them out, and wake your people up!
Monsatan are evil sinister devils! I wish we could talk.
If you can get hold of the Seminar, Betrayal with Dr. Tom O’Brian. Dr. Mark Hyman, and nearly 100 other professionals in the medical field, Naturopaths and Homeopaths.
Functional Medicine
I spoke to a company last week in San Juan, Puerto Ricco … they are having trouble with them down there too.
The whole world hates them and this country is lost if we allow them to stay.
I was turned on to homeopathy by my surprisingly openminded British GP about 19 years ago when he prescribed Rustox for my partner’s strained back. It worked.
Is that something readily available in the U.S.? I have never heard of it.
Rhus tox–google it. It is a derivative of poison oak.
I eat a few fresh poison oak leaves straight off the plant every year in the spring when they’re still tender. It keeps my immunity to poison oak up to where I hardly get any reaction to exposure that would put most people in the hospital. If it helps my back too, all the better!
Yes, and how good it is. We use arsenic too. And strychnine. Funny, no-one dies after taking them. Instead their health improves.
SO! Belladona is poison in large quanties but in diluted form is used for heart conditions. Do your research.
I used to have constant UTIs and then I found D-Mannose. What a miracle and unlike most herbs, it doesn’t interfere with the Coumadin I have to take because of a metal mitral valve.
Yes, I’ve been using it for my back pain for decades. In my case, if I take it early enough (when I feel the twinge beginning after something strenuous) it works so good, i forget all about it. Do your own research and fire the quacks (MD’s).
Yes. Health Food stores carry them. Everything I have used has worked for me. I will not take a pharmaceutical until I have read the Long List of side effects. Homeopathy Works.
Judy – Thanks for your sharing. We’re with you 100%. Homeopathy is amazing! You may be interested to research about Robin Murphy in Floyd, VA. He is not a practitioner as much as writer, researcher and teacher. My wife goes to his seminars. Peace.
If you ask any government wonk/employee if their laws apply to you, they will all inevitably tell you “yes”.. and they sincerely believe it applies to you.. HOWEVER,
When you ask them what facts they rely on that proves their Constitution and laws apply to you simply because you’re physically within a specific geographic location.. they go blank and don’t understand the question, then they vigorously insist it all automatically applies to everyone. They just can’t offer you any tangible evidence, they just spew their opinions and a truck load of hearsay of hearsay of hearsay!
Some of you reading this are so entrenched into their indoctrination, you too will insist it applies to everyone, automatically.. Well, my challenge to you and any government wonk reading this is to post your facts, I dare you!
Now remember, we want your FACTS, not your feelings, beliefs, opinions or the feelings, beliefs or opinions of others..just facts! Not hyperbole, hearsay, rumor, speculation, assumptions, presumptions, hypotheticals, conjecture, sophistry, obfuscation, scenarios, what if’s, fraud or lies.
Nor shall you reference any historical document that doesn’t have the wet ink signature of anyone being charged. Nor any document that is compulsory,.. threats, duress and coercion to accept a compulsory document, nullifies any implied acceptance or consent! Well, unless you endorse slavery. You don’t endorse slavery, do you??
Further; You shall not invoke legal citations, laws, statutes, codes, policies, treaties, etc, or any Constitution or any amendments to any Constitution, as that presupposes that any of it is applicable, when that is what is in question in the first place!
Good luck, because no one has ever been able to produce anything but vox et praeterea nihil and or worthless opinions, in response to the challenge of producing evidence that any of it applies to anyone!
Hi. Do you mean anarchy? I don’t see much connection between the constitution and the runnaway government. Most laws are in fact UNconstitutional. The (yes imperfect) constitution was designed to limit the power of the govt… cronyism, tyranny, dictatorship, etc. Also you reference slavery. I presume you’re referring to the 3/5ths compromise. This was indeed a compromise but not in the way you think. The north didn’t want the south counting slaves because it exaggerated their power so the north intentionally bargained the term with an eye towards abolition. Unfortunately I agree it looks so awful… if you read a certain book it says “avoid the appearance of evil.” But they did it anyway to unify different states to break away from colonialism and form a new county which they believed would protect freedom on earth.
To your main point: if you don’t want to be subject to the laws of the land… in your own mind you don’t have to be. But the powers that be do indeed have plenty of power to enforce their laws, regardless if they are just or unjust. America is unique in that we are able to protest, and we have a long history and tradition of “freedom.” Many people here believe in freedom—which is why we have organizations like ANH and many others fighting to preserve it, regain it, and advance it.
your opinions are completely devoid of anything that could remotely be construed as evidence proving applicability! your statist indoctrination is a complete success, congratulations!
The gov’t says it does, I say to everyone, learn how jury nullification works.
yay, another answer that is completely barren of anything that would qualify as proof of applicability.
lol
Nothing qualifies under your parameters.
Allowing facts that you have personal firsthand knowledge of is an issue for you??
So negating you to utilize your feelings, beliefs, opinions or the feelings, beliefs or opinions of others, hyperbole, hearsay, rumor, speculation, assumptions, presumptions, hypotheticals, conjecture, sophistry, obfuscation, scenarios, what if’s, fraud or lies, disrupts your indoctrinated propagandized stupor?
Then there’s not allowing you to spew your opinion or others opinions about magical legal citations, laws, statutes, codes, policies, treaties, etc, or any Constitution or any amendments to any Constitution, as that presupposes that any of it is applicable, when that is what is in question in the first place!
So in closing, you can’t actually prove any of it applies without resorting to trickery and fraud!
Nice ad hominem you threw in there. Tells me everything I need to know about you and YOUR opinions. You’re quite welcome to them.
and your entire theory on applicability is based on lies, fraud, deceit and opinion! and that’s all anyone needs to know about “YOU”..
You couldn’t prove applicability if your life were dependent upon it and you’re more butthurt than a goat at an isis bachelor party over it!
What convinced me that homeopathy works is a TV show I saw about a homeopathic veterinarian
who treated animals with homeopathic remedies. Now maybe opponents can argue that the effects on humans are all placebo effect, ie. all in our minds, but when animals get better, I know it’s not all in their minds. Homeopathy works now, has worked for centuries, will continue to work in the future, unless the PharMa / FDA / FTC thugs decide it is cutting into their profits and outlaw it. Oh how I hate the corruption of these agencies.
Please keep me advised of any change in policy that you sense the FDA might be leaning to as I do have some close personal relationships with legislators in Washington D.C. You can contact me at [email protected]. If there is anything I can do to help please do not hesitate to call on me.
Bob N.
#1- lobbyists do not belong in a democracy
#2- revolving doors between gov’t and private sector jobs should not be allowed. Chose one or the other and stay there.
#3- Federal officials that use their positions for self gain, promotion, money etc. instead of being true to their employers (us!) should be treated as having committed treason and be punished accordingly.
Read some Fraciois Bastiat – America is being plundered to death by its leadership.
Right on the mark!!
Flu shots…. don’t work. Chemotherapy… kills you. Ritalin… ineffective drug for a made-up disorder. Antidepressants… can make you kill yourself, or kill a bunch of other people, without ever doing what they were supposed to do. If efficacy and the testing to prove it, rather than profit, was the FDA’s goal, we would be living in a very different world.
I don’t think the disclaimers will make a difference. Most of the people who choose homeopathy know why they do it and know that it works for them. I don’t think re-labeling or adding a disclaimer will have too big of an impact on the industry or the sale of h ok meopathic products. People will continue to use it regardless. If it works if works.
Agree, but I’m glad they’re fighting back for their rights. It doesn’t take much for it to move from labeling to regulation and then finally… elimination. And I think it’s a disservice to America to ban people from learning about products through labels. Same thing happened to tart cherries. Of course, the grassroots is still strong and thank goodness for the internet where we can still talk about it. At least…. for now.
If it’s good enough for the very old Queen of England, it’s good enough for me.
This is the Hillary Clinton of medicine being pushed upon us….
The FDA is protecting big money pharmaceutical corporations. They don’t give a ratsazz about protecting people. Sill think you are free?
A homeopath saved my sister who was dying of autoimmune problems in her early 40’s, after none of the many allopaths had any idea how to fix the problem. Now which ones are the more valuable doctors? Allopaths are great for trauma; but they are trained in anatomy, diagnosis, drugs, and surgery, and know nothing about nutrition which is the foundation for health, or about true immunity.
The FDA-mandated disclaimers are absolutely worthless as far as I’m concerned. They can say things like “There is no scientific evidence that the product works” even when we’ve seen the proof but they just don’t want to accept it for publishing because the corrupt drug industry stands to lose too much money. Or they say, “The product’s claims are based only on theories of homeopathy from the 1700s that are not accepted by most modern medical experts.” Do they really think we’ll buy the implied lie that homeopathy hasn’t advanced any more than allopathic medicine has in the same amount of time?? The homeopath who cured my sister ten years ago did not use medicines “so diluted that the original ingredient is virtually undetectable,” as some like to say. As I understand it, he didn’t use any medicines at all, but ran a lot of tests, figured out what went wrong, then “prescribed” a diet, with supplements, that “reset” her system so her body could heal itself, in steps.
Hi, would you mind sharing which AI disease it was? I have one and I’d love to know.
Since most Allopathic medical research is wrong and the third biggest killer is iatrogenic from Allopathic prescribed medication, they would be opening a can of worms to put these sorts of laws in place.
You are so right! Careful,though, you might make their heads spin if you use too big words!
lol
All in bed with our Government because they don’t want cures they just want to keep selling us drugs that will kill us !
I find it amusing that people are so willing to accuse the FDA for targeting homeopathy and yet after 100s of years of use there are no studies to even suggest a mechanism by which it works. The theory and rationale for how homeopathy works is completely and utterly ridiculous inside the context of what we have discovered about physics and chemistry since the advent if homeopathy. Yet it’s proponents find no issue with this and rely on testimonials and anecdotes as proof of efficacy.
You blame “Bigpharma” and the government for this “attack”, but what about countries like Australia that have little pharmaceutical influence, who have conducted extensive reviews and found “no benefit” to homeopathy when compared to placebo.
This isn’t a ban on the sale of these producrs. You are still free to take whatever you want and if you feel it helps that’s great! However I have no problem with making it very clear that there is no basic scientific evidence that homeopathy works, no studies suggesting a mechanism by which it would work, and no quality trials comparing it to placebo that show a benefit. If educated consumers still choose to believe there is utility in homeopathy, then more power to them, but the pressure is justly on homeopathy to demonstrate a benefit.
Sure, It’s safe to drink water, but that doesn’t mean it cures arthritis…
I have used several of the remedies and they have always worked for me. I watch my diet. I have not eaten anything from McD’s since 72 and refuse to go to any fast food. I’m 71 and have no problems other than my thyroid quit workin. Probably something to do from the fallout from the nuclear bombs detonated at White Sands before we dropped the bombs on the Japanese. Why is it that the Corporations get to decide what we can have?
Pfft on your pseudo scientists who all march in lock step to big pharma and the failed modality of “modern medicine” . Centuries of proof TRUMPS your sh@. The pill docs do not want anyone to be healed. Millions of Americans can attest to that, and the stinking fraudulent poor excuses for drs will have anyone that sees them on a bucket full of drugs before they are through. They are the Third leading cause of death in America you know!!!
Maybe they would approve the corruption of the testing just as they do for Big Pharma drugs.
AND YES Homeopathy had a crucial role in my struggle with auto – immune problems, and many maladies that are expressed with an autoimmune disorder. Stupid, corrupt fools.
If you can get hold of the Seminar, Betrayal with Dr. Tom O’Brian. Dr. Mark Hyman, and nearly 100 other professionals in the medical field, Naturopaths and Homeopaths.
It covers Functional Medicine which is the Platinum standard in treating all atoimmune disorders. It’s off the chain!!!
According to Allopathic theories Homeopathy cannot work because the dilutions are so low as to have non-existent effects. In other words they say that Homeopathic remedies are equivalent to inert sugar pills. If they believe that, then why are they trying to “protect” the public from something that they believe is not more powerful than a sugar pill?
Great Point!!! Yes, and if GMO’s are harmless, why did they not want them labeled in our food supply?
The devil is afoot! We’re in the battle against it!
Because:
1) people reject proper medical treatment in favour of homeopathy which can be, in many instances, dangerous (life-threatening disorders, mental illnesses, etc);
2) it undermines a person’s understanding of science and promotes irrationality and lack of critical thinking which, in itself, is dangerous;
3) because not all homeopathic remedies are diluted and therefore can be dangerous;
4) because practitioners of homeopathy undermine the authority of scientists and medical doctors which makes a person who uses homeopathy for non-threatening aflictions more likely to turn to homeopathy in search for a cure of a life-threatening condition. Not to mention that non-threatening conditions can develop into or result from a life-threatening problem.
Contrary to popular belief, homeopathy is not the same as herbal medicine. Homeopathy is based on three central tenets, unchanged since their invention by Samuel Hahnemann in 1796. The law of similars states that whatever would cause your symptoms, will also cure them. Thus, if you find yourself unable to sleep, taking caffeine will help and so on. You don’t need to have a medical degree to see the flawed reasoning in taking caffeine which is a stimulant to help you sleep. Yet caffeine is, even today, prescribed by homeopaths (coffea cruda) as a treatment for insomnia. Hahnemann proposed he could improve the effect of his ‘like-cures-like treatments’ by repeatedly diluting them in water. The more dilute the remedy, Hahnemann decided, the stronger it would become. Thus was born his Law of Infinitesimals. Taking a single drop of caffeine and diluting in ninety-nine drops of water creates what is known to homeopaths as one centesimal. One drop of this centesimal added to another ninety-nine drops of water produces a two-centesimal, written as 2C. This 2C caffeine potion is 99.99% water and just 0.01% caffeine. At 3C the dilution is 0.0001% caffeine, at 4C it’s 0.000001% caffeine, and so on. At 12C you pass what is known as the Avogadro Limit, the point at which there is likely nothing of your original substance left.
Hahnemann made another ‘breakthrough’ when ‘researching.’ He decided that the vigorous shaking of a remedy would further increase its potency. This shaking process was named succussion. When ritually preparing a homeopathic remedy, the homeopath will shake or tap the preparation at each stage of dilution, in order to potentize it. Modern homeopaths believe that this potentization process allows the water to retain the memory or vibrations of the original substance, long after it has been diluted away to nothing. Of course, there is no good scientific evidence to suggest that water has such an ability, nor any indication of how it might be able to use this memory to cure a sick patient.
Whist some trials have shown positive results a number of systematic reviews have indicated this is down to pure chance, flawed research methods or other such things. Back in 2010 here in the UK a House of Commons select committee assessed the evidence for and against homeopathy. They concluded the remedies performed no better than placebos, and that the principles on which it is based are “scientifically implausible.” This is the view of the current Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies. Then another country with socialized medicine (Australia) looked at the evidence as well. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) reviewed 225 research papers back in 2015 and stated the following: ”Based on the assessment of the evidence of effectiveness of homeopathy, NHMRC concludes that there are no health conditions for which there is reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective. People who choose homeopathy may put their health at risk if they reject or delay treatments for which there is good evidence for safety and effectiveness.”
But there are no standards for OTC pharmaceutical products and the first work on Homeopathy written by its founder, Samuel Hahnemann, was in the 19th century (1810 to be exact). Who exactly are these “modern medical experts”? Why would anyone expect that someone schooled in pharmacy would know squat about any other form of medicine, or has clinical experience with it. Let’s not forget that randomized controlled trials were invented after the Thalidomide disaster in order to assess toxicity. The notion that they establish effectiveness (or really assess toxicity) has been disproven so many times it’s ridiculous, but because the pharma industry is so lucrative they can pay the $ billions in fines and legal settlements and still laugh all the way to the bank.
This article is very manipulative. I wouldn’t have commented because I normally don’t care much for this topic but the sheer emotional manipulativeness of this piece is astounding.
You’re claiming to be under attack because FTC wants you to scientifically test your products while at the same time saying 96% of users of homeopathic drugs are pleased with the results. So, what’s the problem? If 96% of users surveyed notice a significant improvement of their health then it is reasonable to expect that scientific testing will confirm your results. The disclaimers would only be required, as I understand from your article, if the testing didn’t prove efficacy of homeopathic cures. You claim your cures are effective, surely you should be looking forward to science proving those against homeopathy wrong?
The FTC is doing nothing against “expressed choice” of consumers; they are not taking away the choice of a consumer’s to decide which drugs – homeopathic or regular – they will rely on. They are giving them tools to make a more informed decision: to decide whether they’ll use drugs that have been objectively proven to work or drugs which efficacy hasn’t been objectively proven. The consumer has the right to information and the right to make a decision based on that information. Would you rather that right be taken away? If not, then why are you protesting enforcing that right?
“The most likely motivation of the FTC is that the homeopathic industry is rapidly expanding, which presents a clear threat to pharmaceutical drug company profits, ” If the homeopathic industry is expanding, it means it is in demand. Then: if homeopathic cures truly worked, wouldn’t pharmaceutical companies want to profit from their popularity? The production of homeopathic drugs is significantly less costly than the production of regular drugs and significantly less complicated: wouldn’t it be more sensible for pharmaceutical companies and, indeed, in accordance with capitalist principles to start producing homeopathic cures if they were truly safer and more effective than regular drugs?
” No one has any concern for properly produced homeopathic products, which have been used for centuries without harm. ” Sources for both claims. /Especially/ sources for the claim that they have been used without harm for centuries. Also: just because something is not neccessarily harmful, it doesn’t mean it’s effective (which can be harmful, e.g. in case of life-threatening diseases, if a patient ceases conventional therapy for the sake of homeopathy).
“These medicines are often so diluted that the original ingredient is virtually undetectable.” If it’s diluted to the point of being “virtually undetectable” then how can it be effective? If it’s diluted to the point of no original molecules of an ingredient remaining, how can it work? That goes completely against biochemistry and physics.
Obviously a century of waiting is not enough to provide ANY credible evidence that homeopathy works.
The FDA along with the FTC are also responsible for labeling. Is it not false advertising if the product does not contain even one molecule of the listed ingredient?
It would not be reasonable to provide medical reimbursement or tax deduction for that which cannot show that it actually treats or cures disease.
Homeopathy could incorporate as a church. If the effect is only via belief then why don’t sell just that and save everyone money on the pretense?
Interesting that a Danish 10 year observation on over 30,000 patients concluded that Nurofen and other NSAI Drugs contributed / caused heart failure. I’m not aware of any homeopathic drugs ever doing this likewise with the wonder drug of the 1950’s Thalidomide where babies were born without limbs, I don’t recall any homeopathic medicine since the 1700’s ever causing this in pregnant women wanting relief from morning sickness. There are so many examples of pharmaceutical drugs causing gross symptoms even death. When will the governments of the world have the balls to say to the pharmaceutical companies to only produce drugs “that do no harm”
Outrageous! Homeopathy works wonders. I wish I had Homeopathy taught to me in school! I’ve used it on my animals,my family with no harm, and it works well . Is this freedom? Leave homeopathy alone, and let the people be free to choose how they wish to be treated.