FDA Ban ALERT: Cholestin

Ian Goddard (igoddard@netkonnect.net)
Tue, 02 Jun 1998 21:29:14 -0400


It seems that the health-supplement banners
going for a quick ban. Here's a clip from a
message from John Hammell <jham@iahf.com>
of International Advocates for Health
Freedom (http://www.iahf.com):

-------forwarded message------------

Supplement Consumers World Wide: PLEASE pay VERY close attention to the US
FDA's BAN on Cholestin, a dietary supplement derived from Chinese red rice
yeast which effectively lowers cholesterol.

Cholestin is manufactured by a company called Pharmanex. Pharmaceutical
Giant MERCK has lobbied the FDA arguing that the product is a "drug"
because it contains a naturally occurring substance that is similar to, but
distinct from the drug lovastatin (which is marketed by Merck as
"Mevacor.") (In addition to the substance which is similar to lovastatin,
the red rice yeast also contains nine other active ingredients which
undoubtedly make it synergistically much SAFER than Mevacor.)

Long time foe of the dietary supplement industry Bruce Silverglade of so
called "Center for Science in the Public Interest" (an inside the beltway
shill group for pharmaceutical interests) was quoted in the May 21st
Washington Post as saying "What this case stands for is the proposition
that just because a substance occurs naturally in the food supply doesn't
necessarily make it a dietary supplement." "The distinction is important"
says Silverglade. "Products like lovastatin treat dangerous conditions that
should be monitored by medical professionals" says Silverglade.

(When Silverglade makes THIS kind of statement, we had BETTER be ON GUARD!
This guy has a LONG history of attacking dietary supplements as a stooge
for the FDA, and he is ALWAYS widely quoted by the mass media. I've been
battling Silverglade and so called "Center for Science in the Public
Interest" since 1989, and have always thought they had a particularly
Orwellian name.)

Bill McGlashon, president of Pharmanex told the Washington Times that the
FDA is doing the bidding of the pharmaceutical industry, and in particular
lovastatin maker Merck, which has been asking the FDA to take action. "The
reason this whole thing began is because of Merck. Its REAL CLEAR what
this is about," McGlashan said.

-------end forwarded message excerpt------------

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"A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its
opponents and making them see the light, but rather because
its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows
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