FDA DECLARES WAR ON ALTERNATIVE HEALTH AND MEDICINE THAT WORKS
Dr. Andrew Weil -Medical Doctors Harassed by the FDA
This is the week for attacks on alternative medicine as the FDA just sent a well known and respected medical doctor Dr. Andrew Weil a threatening letter. First viewers were shocked to see the NBC corporation do a hatchet job on Suzanne Somers in her new book ” Knockout” and now they are after Dr. Andrew Weil.
Why are they targeting Dr. Weil? Possibly because Dr. Weil represents to millions of his readers one of the most intelligent learned men in alternative health today. This has mostly to be upsetting millions of Americans who take herbal supplements and are trying to maintain good healthy diets.
On a recent interview on CNN Dr. Weil talked about natural medicine and he talked of plants and herbs, which happens to be a target for the FDA.
The FDA has teamed up with the FTC is now on a major offensive for targeting alternative medicine along with promoting the N1H1 Swine vaccine which is really a cancer vaccine. The drug makers are using the FDA as the attack dog to do their dirty work and their objective is to shut down all alternative medicine and their supplements.
It is odd that the FDA is not attacking the drug company’s especially with the new advertising laws the FTC has come up with on making false claims with drugs. You do see an over abundance of drug commercials on the nightly network news hour check out NBC, CBS, CNN, and ABC for their constant barrage of drug hawking advertisements.
Here is a copy of the threatening letter posted on the FDA’s ” Most Wanted List” to Dr. Weil.
This letter is dated : October 15, 2009. You can visit Dr. Weil at: Dr. Weil Website.
The War is On.
Weil Lifestyle LLC 10/15/09
| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION BUREAU OF CONSUMER PROTECTION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20580 |
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20740 |
TO: ebenjamin@drweil.com
www.drweil.com
FROM: The Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission
RE: Unapproved/Uncleared/Unauthorized Products Related to the H1N1 Flu Virus; and
Notice of Potential Illegal Marketing of Products to Prevent, Treat or Cure the H1N1 Virus
DATE: October 15, 2009
WARNING LETTER
This is to advise you that the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and the United States Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) reviewed your website at the Internet address www.drweil.com on October 13, 2009. The FDA has determined that your website offers a
product for sale that is intended to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 Flu Virus in people. This product has not been approved, cleared, or otherwise authorized by FDA for use in the diagnosis, mitigation, prevention, treatment, or cure of the H1N1 Flu Virus.
This product is your Immune Support Formula. The marketing of this product violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDC Act). 21 U.S.C. §§ 331, 351, 352. We request that you immediately cease marketing unapproved, uncleared, or unauthorized products for the diagnosis, mitigation, prevention, treatment, or cure of the H1N1 Flu Virus.
In addition, FTC staff reminds you that the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 41 et seq., requires that claims that a dietary supplement can prevent, treat, or cure human infection with the H1N1 virus, must be supported by well-controlled human clinical studies at the time the claims are made. More generally, it is against the law to make or exaggerate health claims, whether directly or indirectly, through the use of a product name, website name, metatags, or other means, without rigorous scientific evidence sufficient to substantiate the claims. Violations of the FTC Act may result in legal action in the form of a Federal District Court injunction or Administrative Order. An order also may require that you pay back money to consumers.
Some examples of the claims on your website include:
On a webpage entitled, “The Swine Flu – H1N1 ,” with the subtitle “Swine Flu and You”:
“[D]uring the flu season, I suggest taking a daily antioxidant, multivitamin-mineral supplement, as well as astragalus, a well-known immune-boosting herb that can help ward off colds and flu. You might also consider. .. the Weil Immune Support Formula[,] which contains both astragalus and immune-supportive polypore mushrooms ….”
On a product webpage describing the Immune Support Formula:
“The Immune Support Formula contains astragalus. . . . Astragalus … is used traditionally to ward off colds and flu and has been well studied for its antiviral and immunity-enhancing properties.”
“Th[e] synergistic combination of immune modulators [found in the Immune Support Formula] is especially useful for those who tend to get every bug that goes around during the winter.”
On the same webpage, under “Supplement Facts,” describing the Astragalus supplement (which is one element of the Immune Support Formula):
“Astragalus … is … used traditionally to ward off colds and flu, and has demonstrated both antiviral and immune-boosting effects in scientific investigation.”
On the website’s home page, DrWeil.com:
“Worried About Flu? Dr. Weil’s Immune Support Formula can help maintain a strong defense against the flu. It contains astragalus, a traditional herb that boosts immunity. Buy it now in one click, and start protecting your immune system against flu this season.”
On the Dr. Weil Vitamins – Daily Vitamin Packs webpage:
“[L]earn more about Dr. Weil’s Immune Support Formula, which contains astragalus – an herb Dr. Weil recommends to help ward off colds and flu.”
The Secretary of Health and Human Services, under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. § 247d, has determined that a public health emergency exists nationwide involving the H1N1 Flu Virus that affects or has the significant potential to affect national security.
Following this determination and in response to requests from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FDA issued letters authorizing the emergency use of certain unapproved and uncleared products or unapproved or uncleared uses of approved or cleared products, provided certain criteria are met, under 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3. The marketing and sale of unapproved or uncleared H1N1 Flu Virus-related products that are not authorized by and used in accordance with the conditions of an Emergency Use Authorization, is a potentially significant threat to the public health. Therefore, FDA is taking urgent measures to protect consumers from products that, without approval or authorization by FDA, claim to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat or cure H1N1 Flu Virus in people.
You should take immediate action to ensure that your firm is not marketing, and does not market in the future, products intended to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 Flu Virus that have not been approved, cleared, or authorized by the FDA. The above is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of violations. It is your responsibility to ensure that the products you market are in compliance with the FFDC Act and FDA’s implementing regulations. We advise you to review your websites, product labels, and other labeling and promotional materials to ensure that the claims you make for your products do not adulterate or misbrand the products in violation of the FFDC Act. 21 U.S.C. §§ 331, 351, 352.
Within 48 hours, please send an email to FDAFLUTASKFORCECFSAN@fda.hhs.gov, describing the actions that you have taken or plan to take to address your firm’s violations. If your firm fails to take corrective action immediately, FDA may take enforcement action, such as seizure or injunction for violations of the FFDC Act without further notice. Firms that fail to take corrective action may also be referred to FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations for possible criminal prosecution for violations of the FFDC Act and other federal laws.
FDA is advising consumers not to purchase or use H1N1 Flu Virus-related products offered for sale that have not been approved, cleared, or authorized by FDA. Your firm will be added to a published list on FDA’s website of firms and websites that have received warning letters from FDA concerning marketing unapproved, uncleared and unauthorized H1N1 Flu Virus-related products in violation of the FFDC Act. This list can be found at www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/h1n1flu. Once the violative claims and/or products have been removed from your website, and these corrective actions have been confirmed by the FDA, the published list will be’ updated to indicate that your firm has taken appropriate corrective action.
If you are not located in the United States, please note that unapproved, uncleared, or unauthorized products intended to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat, or cure the H1N1 Flu Virus offered for importation into the United States are subject to detention and refusal of admission. We will advise the appropriate regulatory or law enforcement officials in the country from which you operate that FDA considers your product listed above to be an unapproved, uncleared, or unauthorized product that cannot be legally sold to consumers in the United States.
Please direct any inquiries to FDA at FDAFLUTASKFORCECFSAN@fda.hhs.gov or by contacting Kathleen Lewis at 301-436-2148.
It is also your responsibility to ensure that the products you market are in compliance with the FTC Act. FTC staff strongly urge you to review all claims for your products and ensure that those claims are supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence. The FTC also asks that you notify it via electronic mail at flu@ftc.gov within 48 hours of the specific actions you have taken to address the agency’s concerns. If you have any questions regarding compliance with the FTC Act, please contact Karen Jagielski at 202-326-2509.
Very truly yours,
/S/
Mary K. Engle
Associate Director
Division of Advertising Practices
Federal Trade Commission
/S/
Roberta F. Wagner
Director
Office of Compliance
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration
the end
What this letter is saying is that Dr. Weil should not promote any product that even seems to cure the swine flu virus which is preposterous in a free country. Unfortunately the FDA has done a poor job and cannot sell the swine flu vaccine to Americans so they are making sure you don’t get any product that does fight against a virus. The FDA seems to be targeting the chinese herb astragalus which must mean it works!!! Go and buy a year’s supply of it now! Dr. Weil.
TAGS: FDA attacks Dr. Weil, FDA launches offensive against alternative medicine, Dr. Andrew Weil, drug company’s declare war on alternative health, politics of cancer, politicol news, politicol, NBC, ABC, CBS, network drug pushers.
Welcome back....good to see you again!
I find it frightening to say the least the power these Drug Companies are acquiring. It seems they own everything. They are not concerned about our well being, they are not concerned with the truth, they are only concerned with money and that fact is clear. The manipulation through the media has been ongoing for years. It’s been building for some time as has the “attack mode” of the FDA. 5 years ago I stumbled across “alternative health care” and every disease I suffered from disappeared. Once I stopped the pharmaceutical drugs and replaced them with nutrients and minerals, everything went away. It’s been five years. It’s no joke, and it was not a “coincidence”. It’s real health care the way our bodies were intended to be cared for, and shame on these agencies who have no regard for human life. If they did, we wouldn’t be having these conversations.
Dr. Weil, Suzanne Somers and the rest of the army leading us through this war…you have more support than you realize.
This is ridiculous how the FDA and FTC can go around doing this.
They have proven over and over that they DO NOT have people’s best interest at heart and only do what serves the big guys. And going after Dr.Weil – that is quite a step for sure.
How sad. Alternative medicine does have some fraudulent companies who are just in it to make money, but as a discipline overall it has been healing people for thousands of years way better than any drug. If they think they can keep doing this, then I hope they won’t be too shocked when enough of the public finally has enough and starts to voice their opinion and rights in making other choices – ones that do not involve supporting drug companies.
.-= Evita´s last blog ..Green Beaver: A Canadian Natural Personal Care Product Company =-.
This is ridiculous. Why should Weil have to provide any scientific evidence that his product works? His word should be enough. And, of course, the copious anecdotal evidence. People with no real medical knowledge or understanding of virology, immunology, or medicine, should be able to diagnosis and treat themselves with expensive and unproven supplements over the internet. This is simply the American Way. If people are led to believe that these supplements will protect them from influenza and decide not to receive standard medical treatment or prevention, that’s their decision.
Weil should call their bluff; tell ‘em to stick it, ask his followers – and anyone else interested in freedom – to back him up financially/legally/politically, then take it to Oprah, lol! United we stand, people.
How can we stop the horrible two headed monster. Any ideas?
We know the FDA and FTC are not there to protect the Public, they are there to protect the corportations. We need to turn this around NOW!
People think Iran is a dictator regime, however the corporate world in the US controls government at this stage. Voting each and everyone out of office for state senator, representative, governor and on a state or city level an person -that has any ties to corporate interest, obtains funding from, or has worked for the same corporations that now control government. That is drug, financial, oil, gas, agriculture, judicial, in any area you wish to chose -vote for an unknown -Ralph Nader style individual. I think we are under a change that must be directed from the bottom up and force change and we can do it. If only people got up off the couch and not demanded or prayed or hoped for change, but actually created the change themselves. There are many people who could fill positions in the senate and government -Obama will not be elected next time.
Politicol News
Dr. Andrew Weil has many supporters and this wave of insurrection of the alternative health industry must stop by changing government. The FDA is now legally owned by drug company’s there is no one who questions this and further the CDC is as corrupted.
If this government attack on the health foods, agriculture, vitamins and supplements does not stop there will be blood shed. We are working on a story now about the FDA invading an Amish farmer that you will find disturbing.
PN
Why are we just hearing about this??? The letter is fdated 0/15/2009.
Go to the FDA website and submit a complaint for smearing him.
STOP CODEX!
Yes…I use herb and natural remedies for just about everything. Its amazing that big pharma, like Merck, can produce medicinal potents that actually kill people (Vioxx) and they even prevail in court. Its just an example of how this country has been taken from the people by a group of evil masters. They are mostly jewish in “heritage” and have control over government, media, politics, the military industrial complex and BANKS. Its too bad people will not wake up to this fact. I don’t care if you call me antisemitic, because the word means absolutely nothing to me.
The truth is that “they” could care less whether you suffer or die in this world. Yes, maybe a few decades ago there was some semblance of compassion and concern, but that has evaporated through the corporations that run our fascist country and world.
If you want to stop them it is well within your control. They are nothing without us, and they know it. We outnumber them greatly, and most despise their point of view. What is there POV? They are reckless and evil human beings who have vision of grandeur of ruling the world. These are the same bloodlines that had control many thousands of years ago. They won’t go away until they accomplish their goal regardless if it means destroying millions of lives. They are evil to the core and have not one scintilla of concern for you, your family.
Do not deal with these people. Stop shopping at the mega-marts, shopping centers, name brands. Stop using the big banks. Move your accounts. Do not watch your TV or listen to your radio. They will, and probably already have, brainwashed you. Stop drinking fluoridated water and using consumables with fluoride as an ingredient. Hitler and Mussolini used fluoride to turn prisoners into passive beings with no desire to escape. Demand answers and call them out on every lie they speak to you.
They have been lying and conniving for decades. They have no real solutions for us. They only care about serving themselves and revile themselves above us.
When you go hungry…just remember…EAT THE RICH.
LOL…that was a joke. Their flesh is putrid and disgusting.
Have a nice day. See ya on ther other side
Here’s a good response to the FDA. Nobody here is claiming to diagnose, treat or cure anything. That’s the responsibility of your obsolete healthcare system. So, mind your own business and stay away from mine. I don’t work for you.
as usual, the commenters have their heads up their butt and have nothing material to add to the topic.
1. it is FRAUD to make claims about a product that can’t be supported in fact, and the FDA has every justification, ethically and legally, to prosecute those making claims without evidence.
2. given that, the point to take note of is that Dr. Weil makes no such claims. he merely shares information about traditional usage, and states that it might help. it makes not claims of a cure, nor does he state that it will in fact help.
time for people to get some brains.
There has been an excessive and over exaggerated concerted effort to hinder the sales of Health Supplements and Colloidal Silver products.
Why? I am glad you asked! Because Pharmaceutical companies can not earn major dollars on products that they can not patent or that have prior art, or that are too “obvious”.
Take for example Colloidal Silver, due to the fact that they have been proven and documented in medicals books since 1914 that silver has been used as treatment of viral and bacterial symptoms.
With almost 100 years or more of documented evidence that colloidal silver is medicinal, coupled with the fact that there have been NOT a couple of concrete cases of people that contracted Argyria with NO proof that it was Colloidal Silver that did the damage.
The Blue Man is a fraud benefitting from corporate pay offs: Please see this link: http://www.gold2live.com/Blue-Man-Smiles-After-Hoax.html
Unfortunately the FDA and Big Pharma are in bed together. The government is NOT kind to small or medium sized business’s in spite of the fact that they are the biggest contributors to the economy.
There has been a lot of controversy over Climategate, that just proves how the government will only serve who ever “pays” the most.
Anyways to make a long story short you can read about it in the link above, and you can see explanations that have never been heard before of Colloidal Silver Atoms, (Monatomic Atoms, 3000 PPM) here: http://www.gold2live.com/
Well all bow down to the FDA! I’ve been an RN for 21 years. In all that time I have NEVER — as in NOT ONCE! — seen anyone harmed by supplements. (The one exception was not because of the supplement itself, it was because of a manufacturing problem that contaminated the supplement in 1989. It was the case of tryptophan manufactured in Japan that caused eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.) On the other hand, the hand that the FDA represents, I have seen prescription meds harm and even kill so many folks I can’t count them all. Boy am I glad they have my best interest in mind! LOL What a joke. Vaccines are downright dangerous as far as I am concerned. I was pretty much forced to take the hepatitis B series because of my profession. A few years later when I became pregnant with my second child they tested me for antibodies to hepatitis B. I had no antibodies — the vaccine did not immunize me at all! And since that time I have developed fibromyalgia and seizures. Was it that vaccine? Who can prove anything? I have no clue what I was really injected with, and the other nurses who administered the vaccine didn’t know either. It’s not like there is some “deep throat” telling front line medical professionals what is really in that stuff. We take it on faith that we are doing the right thing for our patients. I am currently in a job where I do not have to give them, thank goodness, because I feel it would conflict with my ethics.
I’m an alternative practitioner and I’m forced to practice underground like a drug dealer the the medical mafia.
I’m helping people cure themselves of cancer and just about any other illness, yet I risk arrest and long prison sentences because I help people very cheaply compared to conventional medicine and help were medicine wont’.
Obviously the ‘change’ we are going to exprtience is a trend towards a totalitarian state. Codex Alimtarius was started in the 60’s and thru gradual incrementalism, has covertly gained control of the health choices of the European peasants and is headed stateside. People, get off your butts, resist and wake up the sleeping sheeple. It is time to stop them if you value your life.
We commend you on your practice and you should not be forced to hide your occupation due to some out of control nazi government such as the USA’s federal agencies. We have to vote people out of office that cater to lobbyists while holding their hands out for their own greed.
Modern day medicine has become an evil controlled business of profit and greed, with toxic drugs and vaccines producing a whole generation of sick patients for more drugs and vaccines. We applaude you in your work and continue on…even though healing people has become against the law. Fight for whats right even if it means a revolution must take place.
PN.
I would like to see the FDA and FTC apply the exact same logic and criteria to threaten those responsible for the 911 disaster or false flag event,,give them 48 hrs to comply..maybe we can get somewhere in solving the mystery that caused the death of 3000 Americans..certainly wasn.t due to ingesting astragalus..
Hey chad: whats fraudulent is marketing, selling, advertising and promoting a product that is injected into a human being’s bloodstream that is full of carcinogens, that you cannot prove works, let alone have done any long term studies on – and sell it to the US govt., to be forced on people from a phony epidemic…that was based on lies and fear….and basically commit this massive fraud.
That is what your FDA is promoting today. That is fraud my friend….not what Dr. Weil says or does or promotes -he is all about real health.
These are God given gifts – who are they that they think they can declare these to be illegal ????
big surprise the FDA thugs are going after Dr. Weil. they go after farmers selling raw milk also.
welcome to the Brave New World!
the FDA is there to make sure noone ever gets cured and so that we can treat only symptoms so pharma companies can make lots of $$.
did ya ever wonder why with all this charity money how come we have never had a cure in decades for even one disease?
where does all that charity money go?
i’m afraid you’ve all had “the wool pulled over your eyes” and are just waking up to the reality of this world!
Until the fluoride and aspartame riddled American sheeple wake up the FDA and any other three letter organization will do whatever they damn well please.
http://www.theamericansheeple.com
Baaaaaa! (translated means “WAKE UP!”
The simple truth is this…there is no money in finding a cure or prevention for diseases – they (big pharma cannot control natural products)- they only make Billions from their useless, dangerous drugs, they lobby(payoff) and control almost every politician in Washington and every other country they can. Fascism is coming/taking over America faster than you can imagine. Time to wake up or bend over and kiss all your so-called freedoms goodbye. Many are already gone! Good luck to all.
This will backfire on the FDA/FTC Medical Mafia. Time to write Congress and vote these bums out!
Let’s hold these FDA/FTC officials accountable for over 35 years of suppressing research on Folic Acid/B12; for approving Vioxx; for the abuse of antibiotics; for approving flouride in American drinking water; for conflict of interest with drug companies; for inaction and incompetence with Autism; for 150 years of mercury fillings; for epidemics of MRSA, asthma and allergies amongst children; for doing nothing about Tobacco Marketing for over 150 years; That is just for starters; Do not defend -ATTACK AND RESTRUCTURE THE FDA – maybe they can finally start working for a living>
FDA and Pharmaceutical Industry are unequivocally behaving exactly like I.G. Farben. This time, it is corrupt and spineless American and European puppets who are funded by this old German Nazi system.
Is this not Fascism?
I have MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity). I learned the hard way about what the Falsimedia said about us and we fared even worse than those ill with Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome, because so many people didn’t believe us who were ill with MCS (thanks to the Mainstream Media Falsimedia) and even some alternative medicine people didn’t accept the existence of MCS either.
The fact that Big Pharma “claim” their products work , is a fat LIE. VIOXX is just one example where they knew the risks and yet got approval.”Fixing ” the reports and having a revolving door to the FDA gives them the title of corrupt. What gets me are the “know alls” who say, “if it hasnt been proven”…blah blah.
The alternative health Industry needs some real good lawyers that can get past the witch hunts of pharmas FDA. Historical usage proves many of the herbs and when the pharma companies use these as a basis for a drug, then it should be seen as proof.
Take tamiflu and flu vacs at your own risk because they are NOT PROVEN for anything but getting sick and compromising your immune system.
I am writing from down-under to express my concern over world trends. It would appear that the FDA has two sets of rules. One for the pharmacetical industry which is forever providing killer drugs(that is what drugs do to animals & human beings)without sufficient testing, especially the “swine flu vaccine” and a second rule for natural medications. I use several natural products to reverse and or control health problems which have not been able to be fixed by doctors and their prescribed patented products.
Pick up an insert for the Sanofi Pasteur Monovalent 20009 H1N1 vaccine and you will read that it has not been proven safe or effective in pregnant women. The CDC says pregnant women should get the shot first. Maybe the FDA should warn the CDC and Sanofi Pasteur!
Vote the Non-Incumbent Party across the board, with two exceptions:
If you have the opportunity to vote for a non-Republican or a non-Democrat, do it.
If you reside in the district represented by Congressman Ron Paul, vote for him.
Anytime a new-comer is sent to Washington, D.C., there is a long learning curve, during which time they can’t do much damage. Every two years you will hopefully have the opportunity to elect an amateur until you finally have the rare opportunity to elect a statesman who has read and studied the Constitution and will honor his or her oath to uphold it.
An honest politician is as scarce as hen’s teeth. Your right, do not vote for a republican or democrat and do a background check including spousal income for anyone running. Full disclosure or nothing. You want someone who has never been tainted by a bribe, has never gone back on their word, has never been influenced by the corporate elite and does not favor either party. It is time for the Third Party Revolution – and that is not the Tea Party. We can do with fewer Sarah Palin’s who are pushing “big oil”companies. There are honest people still left in this world but they are not currently in Washington. We have to end the corporate take over of the US, Canadian, European and any country that is run by the corporate powers including Wall Street. It is time to take the power out of Washington and put it in your own hands -each and every day protect your freedoms before they are gone.
Peter Neisman, Editor
oh but that’s Change You Can Believe In !!
and don’t forget the HOPE
you asked and you shall receive
now have some more tofu…