FDA targets drugs sold as supplements (MedPageToday)

Have distributed nearly 300 consumer alerts, letters of warning and other enforcement since 2007 targeting "dietary supplements" that contain actually drug compounds, the FDA rises a new effort to discourage the sale and use.

He sent a letter this week dietary supplement manufacturers to remind them that products sold as dietary supplements cannot contain chemical substances regulated as drugs.

The letter shall concern the Organization "important problems of public health posed by products which are marketed as supplements food, but containing the same Active analogues of actives in the FDA approved FDA drug ingredients approved medications or other compounds, such as new synthetic steroid, which do not qualify as food ingredients."

The most common offenders: containing the sibutramineMuscle enhancement pills and capsules containing products of "Improving human" weight loss products anabolic steroids or Sildenafil laced aromatase inhibitors or compounds related

In a conference call with reporters, Commissioner Assistant FDA Joshua Sharfstein, MD, said most enforcement agency and Alerts consumers have participated in these three types of supplements.

Among other compounds found in supplements warfarin, beta blockers, anticonvulsants, Statins - same ODS as benzodiazepines.

The letter reminded business - distributors and manufacturers - they are responsible to investigate their supply chains to ensure that ingredients do not "contaminated" with FDA regulated drugs.

"Products in the loss of weight, sex and weight categories should receive extra attention and control of their manufacturers and distributors," says the letter.

Sharfstein said that another initiative would provide a way for distributors and manufacturers refer suspected products to FDA for tests, adding that they could do so anonymously if they wish.

Five organisations representative of supplement manufacturers have agreed to cooperate with the FDA's effort, sharing the letter from the Agency with their members, the FDA said.

They will work with the Agency to develop alternatives to inform their members about the problem and the "new strategies to fight", the FDA said in a press release.

The Agency has also launched a new Web method to inform supplements tainted drug - consumers a so-called "RSS" notices that appear on newsreaders running on computers consumer.

Officials of the organizations five commercial, who joined Sharfstein call press confirmed they would seek to stop the marketing of these supplements.

Loren Israelsen, Executive Director of the natural products United Alliance, marked as "pirates" companies that sell adulterated supplement and is committed to helping the "lead their" market.

Other trade association officials said during the call that they share the concerns of the Organization, but also pointed out that consumers should continue to have access to legitimate supplements.