Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14811

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

[Food, health claims and drugs].
Bourlioux P.
Ann Pharm Fr. 2008 Nov-Dec; 66:(5-6):e5-7
http://www.masson.fr/masson/S0003-4509(08)00013-8

Abstract:

Even if the activity of health claim foods is not relevant to the activity of drugs, we are just at the frontier of two fields which needs the greatest attention. Since foods and drugs are present in the same domain of prevention, the French Academy of Pharmacy draws attention on the necessary relevant and scientifically proven demonstration of the health claims using the same quality standard than those used for drugs (good clinical practises, methodologies correspondent to the current requirement, etc.). It is why the Academy wishes to express five recommendations fearing that the risks of confusion and abuse prevail on the possibilities of information and control. Make sure that foods are not mistaken with drugs; largely spread the lists of authorised claims; introduce the new notion of “nutrivigilance”; make sure that the only authorised health claims use advertising; reject the terms “alicaments” and “nutraceuticals” which are confusing with drugs.