Homeopathy ‘has the potential to cause significant and permanent harm’ : FDA
Many homeopathic drugs are made from known poisons and have the potential to cause permanent harm, public health officials have warned.
T he US Fo o d and Drugs Administration ( FDA) has taken a fresh swipe at the herbal remedies as the multi- billion dollar industry continues to boom.
It has ramped up its rhetoric in updated guidelines to warn consumers of the dangers of the unproven concoctions, which claim to cure a host of diseases.
The FDA said the drugs were ' made from a wide range of substances, including ingredients derived from plants, healthy or diseased animal or human sources, minerals and chemicals, including known poisons.'
' These products have the potential to cause significant and even permanent harm if they are poorly manufactured, or if they are marketed as substitute treatments for serious or life-threatening diseases and conditions,' it said.
According to some estimates, a third of adults in the US are using the untested remedies, some of which claim to cure autism, and roughly 10 per cent of Britons.
Homeopathy is the 220- year- old principle of using highly diluted substances – such as plants or animal tissue – which practitioners claim encourage the body to heal itself.
These products are often marketed as miracle cures and are widely available online and in health shops.
In 2017, the FDA issued a draft guidance document explaining the risk of the treatments.
But, as the market for homeopathy continued to surge by a fifth each year, the regulator felt it was necessary to revise it.
It has now detailed which categories of homeopathic products pose a higher risk to public health.
The draft guidelines also specify which particular ingredients and methods of consumption are likely to cause harm.
They include medicines which are contain pathogens or toxic chemicals and drugs which are injected, as they 'bypass the body's natural defences'.
The FDA also warns against remedies which claim to treat serious or lifethreatening diseases like cancer.
It also advises ' vulnerable' people like children and the elderly to steer clear of the drugs as their immune systems may be too weak to fend off any harmful ingredients.
The FDA is now asking the public for feedback and input on the new version before it is finalised.
As part of its crackdown, the FDA has also issued over 10 warning letters to homeopathic drug producers.
Companies targeted include Kadesh Inc., U. S. Continental Marketing Inc., Fill It Pack It Inc., and Bershtel Enterprises LLC dba WePackItAll.
According to the FDA, these companies have worked together to produce and package eye drops in nonsterile conditions, which could cause serious eye infections.
The FDA is also encouraging consumers and doctors to report any adverse health effects or problems with homeopathic products to their MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme.
Fears about homeopathy are also at an all-time high in Britain. The head of the NHS Simon Stevens this week launched an outspoken attack on the industry for peddling deadly anti- vaccine myths.
Simon Stevens described some homeopaths as ' chancers' who are conning the public to part with ' their hard-earned cash'.
He also warned that some therapists are pushing ineffective ' homeopathic vaccines' which leave patients exposed to deadly diseases such as measles.
In a key intervention, he urged Britain's medical watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to de-list the Society of Homeopaths from its official register of professional organisations.
He said the body's inclusion sends a message to patients that homeopathic remedies are as safe and effective as clinically-tested medicines.
(C) Daily Mail, London