A call to more heavily regulate the supplement industry

«13456716

Replies

  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    My only comment: END THE FDA! DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    My only comment: END THE FDA! DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!

    Why?
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    I skimmed it, so I only got the gist, but I fully agree that the industry needs some serious regulation, including quality testing and claim verification. This would likely shut down the majority of the companies producing them.


    About a decade ago I remember reading about EAS doing some independent testing of their competitors and most underdelivered what their labels claimed to contain by a shocking amount.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Proven safety and efficacy are always good. At the same time, I admit to chafing against even MORE big government.

    Maybe we should give Darwinism more of a chance? :bigsmile: I'm leaning towards that concept in the MFP threads as well.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    My only comment: END THE FDA! DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!

    Why?

    Because Big Brother sucks! I hate him!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Honestly, why do people *WANT* a nanny to tell them how to live their life? Are you admitting to being a dummy or just lazy or what?
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    we should like... totally have more laws and regulations.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    It would be nice to have some sort of standard and efficacy for the products. Right now we just rely on the manufacturers doing the right thing.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    we should like... totally have more laws and regulations.

    IKR? Supplements need to be more expensive than they already are. Let's figure out how to price lots of people out of the market! And then, we can throw everyone in jail so that *ALL* of us are either prisoners or guards...
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    It would be nice to have some sort of standard and efficacy for the products. Right now we just rely on the manufacturers doing the right thing.

    Manufacturers have a reason to get it right: repeat business. Government has no reason to get it right and no accountability when they get it wrong.
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    I posted about the contamination issue recently.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1131906-what-s-in-your-supplements
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Honestly, why do people *WANT* a nanny to tell them how to live their life? Are you admitting to being a dummy or just lazy or what?

    How do you really know that the supplement you are purchasing really contains what it says it contains? How do you know it is safe?

    We like the FDA regulating our prescription drugs why dont we like them regulating supplements? Or at least some standards and methods to audit and monitor. We require many industries to have rigorous standards why should the supplemental industry be any different?
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    My only comment: END THE FDA! DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!

    Why?

    Because Big Brother sucks! I hate him!

    Agreed, the last thing we need is MORE government intrusion. How many drugs has the FDA approved that kill people? How many ecoli outbreaks do we get? Does the FDA actually do anything other than add to the price of consumer goods?

    Down with the FDA, down with big brother and all his alphabet agencies, including the NSA who is reading this post.

    Rigger
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Honestly, why do people *WANT* a nanny to tell them how to live their life? Are you admitting to being a dummy or just lazy or what?
    I am not in favor of overregulation.

    I am, however, in favor of some entity ensuring the things we ingest are safe to ingest.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    FDA is a joke they do not do any of their own research. The companies do their own then submit it to the FDA. If it was your *kitten* on the line would you give yourself negative effects?!? That is why a lot of side effects don't come to light until a product is already in the hands of consumers. Examples: NUVA Ring, DEPO shot, and so many more....
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    My only comment: END THE FDA! DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!

    Why?

    Because Big Brother sucks! I hate him!

    Is that the extent of your criticism?

    We may all safely ignore your opinion now, I guess.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    My only comment: END THE FDA! DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!

    Go get a copy of "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair. Then you will be thankful we now have the FDA
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Agreed, the last thing we need is MORE government intrusion. How many drugs has the FDA approved that kill people? How many ecoli outbreaks do we get? Does the FDA actually do anything other than add to the price of consumer goods?

    Down with the FDA, down with big brother and all his alphabet agencies, including the NSA who is reading this post.

    Rigger

    And those are just the drugs the FDA approved.

    What if there were no FDA and the pharmaceutical companies could introduce and market whatever they wanted?

    No doubt the death rate would go down. Wait, what?
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Honestly, why do people *WANT* a nanny to tell them how to live their life? Are you admitting to being a dummy or just lazy or what?

    Nobody wants a "nanny" but society at large needs to be protected from unscrupulous companies that would gladly sell products that are unsafe and/or ineffective. (not just big pharma either.......)

    The simple fact is that the average person does not have the scientific knowledge to determine what products may be efficacious and safe and those that aren't.

    Imagine.......Dr Oz unleashed x a million..........
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    I'm torn. On one hand, I'm for a small government and if people are stupid enough to waste their money, so be it. On the other, I like science and the supplement industry has basically become the modern day equivalent of a medicine show shucking miracle elixirs and is full of fraudulent claims.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    My only comment: END THE FDA! DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!

    Go get a copy of "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair. Then you will be thankful we now have the FDA


    Shhhhh let's not talk about history and the "glory" days before big brother.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    Honestly, why do people *WANT* a nanny to tell them how to live their life? Are you admitting to being a dummy or just lazy or what?


    so... you like it when you buy something based on what you *thought* it was, and then find out it's something different? If we required these supplements to fall under the same regulations as food and OTC drugs, I don't see how that would be a bad thing.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    It would be nice to have some sort of standard and efficacy for the products. Right now we just rely on the manufacturers doing the right thing.

    Manufacturers have a reason to get it right: repeat business.
    431437.gif
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Proven safety and efficacy are always good. At the same time, I admit to chafing against even MORE big government.

    Maybe we should give Darwinism more of a chance? :bigsmile: I'm leaning towards that concept in the MFP threads as well.

    Exactly this.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    Agreed, the last thing we need is MORE government intrusion. How many drugs has the FDA approved that kill people? How many ecoli outbreaks do we get? Does the FDA actually do anything other than add to the price of consumer goods?

    Down with the FDA, down with big brother and all his alphabet agencies, including the NSA who is reading this post.

    Rigger

    And those are just the drugs the FDA approved.

    What if there were no FDA and the pharmaceutical companies could introduce and market whatever they wanted?

    No doubt the death rate would go down. Wait, what?

    You're implying that it's in a companies best interest to kill it's customers? In what world does that make sense? You're right though, government never fails. I'm going to take this opportunity to call for more government regulation with regard to the way people wipe their @$$. I think we need government agents stationed at every bathroom to ensure that people wash their hands. Can I have your support?

    Rigger

    Rigger
  • LiminalAscendance
    LiminalAscendance Posts: 489 Member
    The FDA knowingly turns a blind eye to the various misrepresentations of supplement manufacturers, as long as their products aren't (knowingly) harmful.

    Not too difficult to understand why, given the economic importance of the sales resulting from such complicity.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    FDA is a joke they do not do any of their own research. The companies do their own then submit it to the FDA. If it was your *kitten* on the line would you give yourself negative effects?!? That is why a lot of side effects don't come to light until a product is already in the hands of consumers. Examples: NUVA Ring, DEPO shot, and so many more....

    It's called the Food and Drug Administration, not 'We'll Do all the Science For You.' And they are, most assuredly, not a joke. Falsifying data on clinical trials leads to multi-million dollar fines and the likely downfall of the drug company. Every now and then it happens, but not very often.

    How long do you think drugs should be in clinical trials before they are approved for use in the general population? Do you know that some side effects will only be apparent after generations of use? The line has to be drawn somewhere. Drug companies are not going to create new drugs if they can't make a profit because they have to keep their drugs in clinical trials for 40 years. Are you OK with no new treatments for anything?
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    Honestly, why do people *WANT* a nanny to tell them how to live their life? Are you admitting to being a dummy or just lazy or what?

    Nobody wants a "nanny" but society at large needs to be protected from unscrupulous companies that would gladly sell products that are unsafe and/or ineffective. (not just big pharma either.......)

    Pray tell, who do we call to protect society from unscrupulous government?

    Rigger
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
    FDA is a joke they do not do any of their own research. The companies do their own then submit it to the FDA. If it was your *kitten* on the line would you give yourself negative effects?!? That is why a lot of side effects don't come to light until a product is already in the hands of consumers. Examples: NUVA Ring, DEPO shot, and so many more....
    There is a whole list of potential side effects with those...if people would read them. I had no issues with the depo shot...others may have lots of problems.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    The FDA knowingly turns a blind eye to the various misrepresentations of supplement manufacturers, as long as their products aren't (knowingly) harmful.

    Not too difficult to understand why, given the economic importance of the sales resulting from such complicity.

    The FDA does not regulate dietary supplements at all, as it stands. So your point is moot.
This discussion has been closed.