Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16650

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

Kuehn BM
Despite Health Claims by Manufacturers, Little Oversight for Homeopathic Products
JAMA 2009 Oct 21; 302:(15):1631-1634.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/302/15/1631

Abstract:

Recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings that a popular over-the-counter cold remedy could cause loss of sense of smell in users have drawn attention to potential risks associated with so-called homeopathic remedies.

Such products are usually allowed to be marketed as remedies for an array of health conditions without first demonstrating their safety and efficacy to the FDA. However, in June the FDA warned consumers that zinc-containing Zicam products (Cold Remedy Nasal Gel, Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, and Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size) could cause anosmia, and warned the manufacturer, Matrixx Initiatives (Scottsdale, Ariz), to stop marketing them. The children’s product was no longer being sold at the time of the warning, and Matrixx Initiatives has since voluntarily recalled the other 2 products, but disputed that they pose a risk. The warnings have renewed debate about the safety and efficacy of homeopathic products . . .