Tag: Food and Drug Administration

Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump. Now what for science-based medicine?

In 2016 and 2020, scientists expressed surprise and alarm at the results of the Presidential election. In 2016 it was alarm that someone as antiscience as Donald Trump was elected, and in 2020 it was over how close the election was, given Trump's dismal record on science, medicine, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Are scientists out of touch? And now what, for federal...

/ November 9, 2020
HHS

Vaccine safety monitoring in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic

Last year, the Trump administration essentially disbanded the National Vaccine Program Office, folding it into an office focused on infectious diseases. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. What does this mean for monitoring the safety of the soon-to-be-approved COVID-19 vaccines?

/ October 26, 2020

Government watchdog to investigate politicization of CDC and FDA during COVID-19 pandemic

Based on numerous reports of White House interference, a government watchdog will investigate politicization of the CDC's and FDA's actions during the coronavirus pandemic.

/ October 22, 2020
COVID-19 vs. FDA and CDC

In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, can we trust the CDC and FDA any more?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the US, increasing concern has been expressed about the politicization of the CDC and FDA due to pressure from the Trump administration to downplay the severity of the pandemic and push out treatments and a vaccine as fast as possible, potentially at the expense of safety. This has led me to a disturbing question: Can I trust...

/ September 14, 2020

FDA warns companies selling illegal hangover remedies

The FDA recently warned seven companies not to claim that their dietary supplements can prevent, treat, or cure a hangover, because only FDA-approved drugs can make such claims. The agency also warned that NAC, a popular supplement ingredient, cannot legally be used in dietary supplements.

/ September 10, 2020

FDA Decision on Oleandra

FDA rejects the application for oleandrin as a new dietary ingredient, but flaws in the regulations remain.

/ September 9, 2020

Trump administration announces some COVID-19 tests can skip FDA review, providing new opportunities for dubious lab tests

The Trump administration unexpectedly announced that the FDA will no longer regulate some lab tests, including those for COVID-19. In addition to potentially allowing unreliable COVID tests on the market, the decision creates an opening for more bogus CAM tests.

/ August 27, 2020

Does convalescent plasma work against COVID-19? Who knows?

Last night, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19, even though there are no randomized clinical trials demonstrating efficacy and safety. Does this plasma work? Who knows? But that didn't stop the FDA from issuing the EUA, almost certainly as a result of intense political pressure from the Trump Administration.

/ August 24, 2020

Consumer groups urge feds to act against Mercola and his false COVID-19 claims

Consumer rights organizations urge the FDA and FTC to take action against Joseph Mercola and his businesses over their false, misleading, and dangerous claims that their products will prevent, treat or cure COVID-19.

/ August 13, 2020

FTC settles false advertising suit against low-level light therapy marketer with $22 million judgment

Per a settlement with the FTC, the marketers of Willow Curve, a low-level light therapy device costing hundreds of dollars, will have to stop making deceptive claims that the device treats chronic, severe pain and associated inflammation. Any health claims made for the device must be supported by "competent and reliable scientific evidence".

/ July 2, 2020