Conflicts of interests and rampant biases on the committee advising FDA on the new compounding rules? Yes—in abundance! Related Action Alert! Last week, we wrote about the FDA’s latest efforts to regulate compounding pharmacies in its draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Although these provisions are still in the process of being completed, it’s looking increasingly likely… Continue reading FDA Compounding Committee Is a Stacked Deck
Category: Health Autonomy
Supreme Court Decision Deals Blow to Monopolistic State Medical Boards
Bad news for trade-restraining state medical boards, good news for consumers in teeth-whitening case. On February 25, the US Supreme Court ruled that North Carolina’s dental board violated antitrust laws by shutting down hair salons and day spas that offered teeth whitening services. According to the Wall Street Journal, “The decision preserves the power of antitrust enforcers… Continue reading Supreme Court Decision Deals Blow to Monopolistic State Medical Boards
Kick Kids Out of Head Start if They Aren’t Vaccinated on the Government’s Schedule?
There’s a new front in the push to mandate vaccinations—this time on underprivileged children. We need to stop it NOW. Action Alert! A new bill, expected to be introduced in Congress this week, would require that all children in Head Start programs be fully vaccinated unless medical reasons exempt them. The bill, “A Head Start on… Continue reading Kick Kids Out of Head Start if They Aren’t Vaccinated on the Government’s Schedule?
New Power Grab by Federation of State Medical Boards Threatens Integrative Medicine
Back in September 2014, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) released model legislation for the creation of an interstate medical licensing compact. The stated intent of the legislation is to streamline the licensing process for physicians who wish to apply for medical licenses in multiple states. According to Medscape, the model legislation would allow physicians to apply for… Continue reading New Power Grab by Federation of State Medical Boards Threatens Integrative Medicine
Will We Allow Big Pharma to Patent and Control Natural Products?
Behind the scenes, the pharmaceutical and biotech industries are trying to change the law—to benefit no one but themselves. Major Action Alert! Big Pharma in general—and biotech in particular—are having trouble coming up with new-to-nature molecules they can successfully patent and turn into blockbuster medicines. They know the healing power of natural substances. But natural substances… Continue reading Will We Allow Big Pharma to Patent and Control Natural Products?
FDA Pretends to Lighten Burden on Compounding Pharmacies Even as it Tightens Its Stranglehold on Them
The government is playing games with patients’ lives. A new document shows just how arbitrary Pharma-inspired limitations on shipping compounded medications really are. Action Alert! The FDA is continuing to issue rules that implement the new compounding law passed by Congress in 2013, and this week the agency released a whole slew of documents—including the long-awaited draft… Continue reading FDA Pretends to Lighten Burden on Compounding Pharmacies Even as it Tightens Its Stranglehold on Them
Qualified Victory against Crony Capitalist Nutrition in North Carolina
Good news in the fight against monopolies in nutritional therapy. You may remember the story of North Carolina Paleo-blogger Steve Cooksey. In 2012, Cooksey got a cease-and-desist letter from North Carolina’s Board of Nutrition/Dietetics because he was offering nutritional advice about the Paleo diet at no charge on his blog—but without a board-issued license. A legal… Continue reading Qualified Victory against Crony Capitalist Nutrition in North Carolina
The Dietetics Monopoly’s Cozy Relationship with Big Food—Now in Australia Too
Conflicts of interest are nothing new for dietetics associations, to the shame of many sincere and dedicated dieticians. An important report from Michele Simon shows massive problems with the Dietitians Association of Australia.
New York AG’s Supplement Test Completely Contradicted by New Research
The supplement ban was issued based on a single unverified test, performed by a scientist who usually studies lizards, using completely inappropriate technology—and new tests show that the original testing was wrong. State-based Action Alert! The NY attorney general’s cease-and-desist letters to four national-chain retailers, charging them with selling nutritional supplements that were “deliberately mislabeled” and “potentially dangerous… Continue reading New York AG’s Supplement Test Completely Contradicted by New Research
Two Clinical Trials for Fruit Juice? That’s What the FTC Was Demanding!
In breaking news, the DC Appeals Court says that would be unconstitutional. But the rest of the decision in the POM Wonderful case was disappointing.