Why are natural substances not approved by the FDA?

Question

Why are all these natural products that claim to be the best thing for you not approved by the FDA? Obviously none of these are bad for you, so why wont the FDA study their effects and approve them, so they can stop putting that little disclaimer "Not approved by FDA, not intended to cure, etc." right under the message that says "Cures Such and such!"

nmilover, that's one of my points. Why wont the FDA approve it so that people can use them correctly?

Um... I don't think they are selling poison..... No one ever said everything natural is safe. No one ever said we should rub poison ivy on our skin to cure ailments, or that we should eat psylocybin mushrooms.

I said "Obviously they're safe" because the FDA is not pulling them off the market, so they must not be harmful. Furthermore, the FDA should be conducting tests instead of ignoring them and acting like they are useless! I would think some of these products really do some of the things they claim to do, even though there might also be products that just state some flat out bullcrap lies. They might claim it's great, but really it does nothing. Even if they are lying about how great a product is, I highly doubt any of the products are any types of poisons or toxins sold as a miracle cure drug.

It is for that reason the FDA should take a look at these natural substances. So they can test them, and decypher which claims are true and which claims are false.

Answer 1

Cos the FDA are trying to protect us. They have guidelines that they go by. First up they will want to know toxicity level? As it's a food not a drug it will obviously fail the first test cos food doesn't poison you (not supposed to at least). That's the second point as well, next they'll want to know what it will cure, well in general it will make everything in the body work, duh??? Nope they'll say, nothing that it cures then it can't be classified by FDA, have to sell it in the health food stores or perhaps multi level marketing...........



****** Noooooooooooooooo, you don't get it !!!!

The FDA works under the parameters of three specific questions that they ask, no inbetweens or halfways or maybe's. The answers to these questions need to be correct or they don't approve it !!! Now, I'm not saying this is right wrong or otherwise I'm just trying to explain the answer to your question.

First question they ask - What is the toxicity level of your product? In other words, how much of it would kill a person? They say this cos they don't want to kill people they want to have safe levels of drug administration out there, they reckon they are being responsible !! They won't classify a food as a product that heals ailments basically cos historically foods, carbohydrates, sugars etc. are suppose to provide energy, herein lies the anomaly !! They refuse to get with it and think outside the square, very black and white tunnel vision so to speak.

Second question they will ask is what is the interaction your product will have with other drugs, ie. side affects??? Naturally, a food based powder/tablet will not interact and probably enhance other drugs performances. Not good enough as far as the FDA is concerned. They claim responsibility again as above.

Third question they will ask is wots the claim you'll put on the label?? What's it gonna cure?? Cos they claim they want 1 drug to be relating to one symptom. They reckon they say this cos they need to be able to pinpoint things when things go wrong!! You know, oh, people are going blind so X drug must have caused it !! Once again with a foodstuff powder/tablet/tincture it doesn't stand a chance with the FDA cos odds are reply is gonna be well it will cure heaps of things !!!


Is that a bit clearer??? Sorry, before I rushed my answer a bit.

....... :0)

PEACE

PEACE


.... :0)

Answer 2

Because they're not currently required to be tested like other drugs are, so they can make all kinds of baseless claims.

And don't go thinking natural things can't be bad for you. Go eat some random plant from your back yard and see. Just be sure to have a friend around ready to call poison control.

EDIT: You yourself said: "Obviously none of these are bad for you..." How is that obvious? They haven't been put through any sort of real safety testing.

Answer 3

basically it is economics. the whole food natural products are not regulated by the FDA and since they don't make medical claims they do not have to be.

the problem is if they make an absolute medical claim the cost factor (as well as the time factor) is so high that the companies that manufacture them wont do that.

for those idiots who think whole food natural products are dangerous you need to stop smoking some of that other natural stuff. the companies that sell vitamins are not selling poisons.

Answer 4

cyanide, arsenic, and ephedra are all naturally occuring substances.
with some of these supplements I'm not sure which is scarier; the thought that that they are acomplete rip off and do nothing, or the fact that they might work, but be dangerous. i think the fda should test them all, at least for unintended side effects.

Answer 5

because some can kill you and some interact with other meds and some are poison ........ work with MD and herbologist.... do not just take drugs or anything without knowledge. if you have a liver problem kava kava can harm you. many herbs can make you very sick if you are taking other meds.... see a professional do not listen to anyone here.

Answer 6

the government and pharmaceutical companies cant make money off of them like they can on drugs

Answer 7

corporate lobbying by the drug companies keeps the FDA in their pocket.

just like guns guns guns.... and CIGARETTES....

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Answer 8

dunno