WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration in April met with supporters and critics of Zicam Allergy Relief and Cold-Eeze to discuss the homeopathic remedies that are protected by federal law, but remain unaccepted by mainstream medicine.
The agency is reviewing their current policy on standards for the homeopathic industry.
The FDA does not review safety or effectiveness of homeopathic remedies before they are sold.
In 2009 they did order the maker of Zicam to stop marketing products with zinc gluconate after users said they lost their sense of smell.
And in 2010 the FDA warned about the toxicity in children taking Hyland Homeopathic teething tablets that contained belladonna – which can be poisonous in large doses.
However, at the conclusion of April’s two-day meeting, the FDA still had not reached a decision regarding its regulations.
Homeopathic remedies contain heavily diluted drugs, vitamins and minerals that are based on traditional use of the ingredients for ailments.
Advocates for homeopathy argued before the FDA that consumers enjoy having easy access to alternative treatments. Industry critics, however, say they don’t understand how homeopathic products differ from conventional medicines. They want homeopathic medicines to be subjected to the same safety standards pharmaceutical drugs are.
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/fda-safety-problems-prompted-review-homeopathic-remedies
