Posted: Wednesday, July 24, 2013, 1:08 AM
WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on more than a dozen companies that market illegal diabetes treatments, ranging from bogus dietary supplements to prescription drugs sold online without a prescription.
The products aim to cash in on the country's diabetes epidemic, which affects nearly 26 million Americans. Regulators worry that consumers who buy such unapproved products could put off getting legitimate medical care.
The FDA sent warning letters to 15 companies, here and abroad, ordering them to stop selling diabetes treatments that violate U.S. drug laws.
Three of the products targeted are marketed as "natural" supplements, but actually contain unlisted pharmaceutical ingredients. For example, Diexi, sold as a traditional Indian "herbal formula," contains metformin, the most common prescription drug used to treat diabetes. The product is sold by Amrutam Life Care of Surat, India.
"Consumers should exercise caution before using products claiming to be herbal or all-natural alternatives to FDA-approved prescription drugs," the agency said in a statement Tuesday. "These products should be considered unsafe and should not be used."
Other products include genuine dietary supplements that make unproven claims to treat or prevent diabetes. For example, Diabetes Daily Care is a capsule-based supplement containing cinnamon extract and other herbs. Its manufacturer, Nature's Health Supply Inc., claims it "safely and effectively improves sugar metabolism."
Under U.S. law, only FDA-approved medicines are permitted to make claims for treating or preventing disease.
Other companies targeted by the FDA run online pharmacies that sell drugs for diabetes without a prescription. The FDA issued a warning letter to www.bestcheapmedsonline.com for marketing unapproved versions of diabetes drugs like Januvia, from Merck & Co.
The FDA warns against buying prescription medications on the Internet. Only 3 percent of online pharmacies comply with all U.S. laws, according to a review by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
Published on : Thursday, July 25, 2013
Category : Diabetes
Post URL : https://internal-med.blogspot.com/2013/07/fda-warns-15-firms-to-stop-selling.html
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