Recently, I stated that probiotics are marketed and sold free from the strict scrutiny of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight that our prescription drugs routinely undergo. And this is just how these companies want it. Trust me, if probiotics had to endure the same vetting process that actual drugs go through, most of them would be snuffed out along the way. Here’s a simplified glimpse of how the system works. Yo ho, hey hey, keep away from the FDA! Many probiotics are classified by the FDA as dietary supplements, rather than drugs. Indeed, it is this classification that allows the industry to thrive. The FDA regulates supplements much more leniently than they do conventional prescription drugs that must endure years of intensive vetting and successive clinical trials. The drug approval process is so rigorous that most drug candidates will not reach the finish line. The FDA maintains high standards for safety and efficacy. However, b ecause probiotics are not drugs
MD Whistleblower presents vignettes and commentaries on the medical profession. We peek 'behind the medical curtain' and deliver candor and controversy in every post.