Michigan Economy Takes a Hit From the FDA
Michigan produces about 75 percent of the country’s tart cherries, making them a significant part of the state’s economy. Studies conducted by Michigan State University, among others, concluded that cherries may be a better pain reliever than anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aspirin. When cherry growers began citing these studies, the FDA sent them warning letters. The FDA referred to cherries as “drugs” due the the claims on the labeling, and required them to remove the scientific information from their labels.
Bill Sardi, a consumer advocate and health journalist from California writes:
“While the FDA was threatening cherry growers, it was giving approval to a drug maker for a new type of COX-2 inhibiting anti-inflammatory drug that claimed it was safer than ibuprofen or aspirin. The FDA also permitted this new prescription-only anti-inflammatory drug to be advertised on television, even though long-term safety data was not available. As it turns out, this drug wasn’t any safer than aspirin and the FDA took no subsequent action against the drug maker that submitted misleading preliminary safety data in its application for FDA approval. This anti-inflammatory drug went on to cause thousands of side effects and was associated with the deaths of an estimated 20,000 Americans, mostly due to mortal heart attacks. An FDA “whistleblower,” Dr. David Graham, had to alert the public to this problem.”
One Congressman realized the absurdity of these actions and sought to prevent future occurrences. Congressman Ron Paul introduced legislation (HR 2117), to protect companies from being illegitimately censored by the FDA. It’s likely this bill will not be passed, as a result of the lobbying power of the major drug companies, who seek to manipulate the FDA for their benefit.