For years, the FDA and the FTC have been working together to limit our knowledge about the benefits of supplements. The FDA infamously attacked cherry and walnut growers for citing peer-reviewed research about the benefits of those foods. The FDA invented the term “implied disease claim” to ban many legal claims about supplements. The truthful claim that niacin lowers cholesterol is considered by the FDA an implied claim that the product is a treatment for hypercholesterolemia, so the truthful information is banned. The FDA has banned supplements from making claims about helping with inflammation and hangovers because the agency considers those to be diseases. We reported on the FTC’s campaign against Xlear, a nasal spray company, for discussing the results of more than a dozen studies demonstrating the plausibility of using its nasal spray to help with COVID. There are many more examples.
This isn’t about protecting an unsuspecting public from fraudulent actors selling snake oil. As the examples above show, the practical effect of these actions, including the FTC’s recent salvo of letters, is to prevent us from harnessing the healing power of nature because this cuts into drug industry profits. Big Pharma has massive influence in the government and the FDA especially: the agency receives 45% of its operating budget directly from drug companies in the form of “user fees” (used for the approval of new drugs, biologics and devices).
Help us push back against the government’s censorship campaign and support free speech!
Action Alert! Write to Congress and the FTC, telling them to complete ANH’s FOIA request. Please send your message immediately.
https://www.votervoice.net/ANHUSA/Campaigns/106067/Respond