[Diabetes-talk] Fwd: FDA tells companies to stopthe illegalmarketing of treatments for diabetes

Thu Jul 25 17:42:31 UTC 2013

I would say it's a matter of perspective. Depending on life
circumstances, you will view comments like Bill's differently.

Regardless of the FDA and drug companies, I don't think anyone would
argue that drugs exist on the market, *natural* or synthetic, that
promise results that are not accurate or completely fabricated. My mom
for years has pushed me to try some natural treatment for diabetes that
would allegedly allow me to not use insulin. I've always been skeptical
of such treatments and never tried it. Fortunately she wasn't aware of
the so-called treatment until I was completely managing my diabetes
independently. Who knows if she would have tried it when I was a child.

So while I have opinions about the FDA, many drugs and treatments still
exist that are probably more harmful than helpful.

And I took this on a tangent, grin.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Tamera
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2013 10:34 AM
To: 'Bill Lewis'; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Fwd: FDA tells companies to stopthe
illegalmarketing of treatments for diabetes

Bill, I completely agree with your comments!
Tamera

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Bill Lewis
Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2013 10:14 AM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Fwd: FDA tells companies to stop the
illegalmarketing of treatments for diabetes

Hello Mike,  Thanks for passing this letter to us, but I want to call
your 
attention to some facts about what this letter is really about.  Read on

carefully!

In the letter near the bottom, notice that they openly state that they
have 
had no data showing injury or death as a result of these OTC products. 
Doesn't that say something to you?

The government, in case you have not heard already, is trying to find a
way 
of driving the alternative medicine market out of business, leaving us
only 
with Obama Care.

Remember back, Mike, to 1993 when Hillary Clinton tried to ram her
Hillary 
Care down our throats?  It came to light that her blue ribbon committee
that 
wrote her health care plan did not actually exist.  Her claims about the

plan's benefits were conspicuously wrong.  And in the plan, she had a 
section that prohibited patients from paying for medical care privately,
for 
penalty of prison and/or huge fines, which included the doctors who 
cooperated in an effort to provide private care.  Remember?

This letter from the government--once again, looking at the person
signing 
the letter and her official rank and department and you will see that
she is 
one of the parties that Obama set up with immunity and with instruction
to 
bad-mouth the alternative med industry out of business.  True, there are

some companies and products on the OTC market that are scams, but there
are 
many others that are legitimate.  The OTC vitamin market, the basic herb

markets, and others.  So, Mike, be careful.  Read any government, or 
otherwise, pronouncements very very carefully and pay attention to the 
wording.

Contact me if you still are uncertain about this government-issued
letter. 
I personally am skeptical about herbs and such, but I sure as heck am
not 
going to let this particular government turn our country into a banana 
republic or our health care system into a sshameful excuse for health
care 
that is affordable and effective.

Your friend -- yes, you are my friend; because I ain't going to let
nobody 
tell me how to pick my friends!

Bill Lewis
<billlewis31 at cox.net>

-----Original Message----- 
From: Mike Freeman
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 10:16 AM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Fwd: FDA tells companies to stop the 
illegalmarketing of treatments for diabetes

Begin forwarded message:

> From: FDA NEWS FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
> <NewsHealthCareProfs at fda.hhs.gov>
> Date: July 23, 2013, 7:12:10 PDT
> To: FDA NEWS FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS 
> <NewsHealthCareProfs at fda.hhs.gov>
> Subject: FDA tells companies to stop the illegal marketing of
treatments 
> for diabetes
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking action to remove from 
> the
> market illegal products, including some labeled as dietary
supplements, 
> that claim to mitigate, treat, cure or prevent diabetes and related 
> complications. The agency recently issued letters warning 15 companies

> that the sale of their illegally marketed diabetes products violates 
> federal law. The letters were sent to foreign and domestic companies
whose 
> products were sold online and in retail stores.
> The FDA is advising consumers not to use these or similar products
because 
> they may contain harmful ingredients or may be otherwise unsafe, or
may 
> improperly be marketed as over-the-counter products when they should
be 
> marketed as prescription products. Using these products could cause 
> consumers to delay seeking proper medical treatment for their
diabetes. 
> FDA-approved diabetes treatments, prescribed by a licensed health care

> professional and shown to be safe and effective, are readily available
for 
> people with diabetes.
> "Diabetes is a serious chronic condition that should be properly
managed 
> using safe and effective FDA-approved treatments," said FDA
Commissioner 
> Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. "Consumers who buy violative products that
claim 
> to be treatments are not only putting themselves at risk but also may
not 
> be seeking necessary medical attention, which could affect their
diabetes 
> management."
> Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes, a disease in which blood 
> glucose or blood sugar levels are high, resulting from the body's 
> inability to produce sufficient amounts of insulin or to effectively 
> utilize its own insulin. There is a greater risk for serious health 
> complications, such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and 
> lower-extremity amputations, if diabetes is not managed appropriately.
> "The FDA is committed to protecting consumers from the dangers of
these 
> illegally sold products," said Howard Sklamberg, director of the
Office of 
> Compliance in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "We
will 
> continue to take aggressive action against firms that sell illegal 
> products claiming to treat diabetes."
> Many of the illegally sold products that are the subject to this
action 
> include claims such as "prevents and treats diabetes," and "can
replace 
> medicine in the treatment of diabetes." In addition, some of the
products 
> may cause harm because the products contain undeclared active drug 
> ingredients or may not have been manufactured and handled according to
FDA 
> quality standards.
> These illegally sold products include:
> Products sold as "natural" treatments for diabetes, but containing 
> undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients in unknown quantities
that 
> could cause harm or complicate medical conditions;
> Dietary supplements and ayurvedic products (medicine of the healing
arts 
> that originated in India) with claims to treat, cure, and/or prevent 
> diabetes;
> Unapproved drugs sold over-the-counter, including some homeopathic 
> products, intended to treat complications associated with diabetes,
which 
> include relieving symptoms caused by nerve damage in the arms and legs

> (also called peripheral neuropathy); and
> Prescription drugs for diabetes sold by online pharmacies without a 
> prescription.
>
> The FDA has requested a written response from these companies within 
> 15
> business days stating how the companies will correct the violations. 
> Failure to promptly correct the violations may result in legal action,

> including product seizure, injunction, and/or criminal prosecution.
> To date, the FDA is not aware of any reports of injury or illness 
> associated with the illegally sold products but is taking action to 
> protect the public health from potential harm related to these
violative 
> products. The FDA asks health care professionals and consumers to
report 
> any adverse reactions to FDA's MedWatch program either by:
> completing and submitting the report online at 
> www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm2; or
> downloading and completing the form3, then submitting it via fax at 
> 1-800-FDA-0178.
>
> For more information:
> Warning Letters4
> Cyber Letters5
> Illegally Sold Diabetes Products6
> Consumer Update7
>
> We thank you for your continued support of our mission.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Helene
>
> Helene D. Clayton-Jeter, OD
> Cardiovascular and Endocrine Liaison Program
> Office of Health and Constituent Affairs
> Office of External Affairs
> Office of the Commissioner
> U.S. Food and Drug Administration
> 10903 New Hampshire Avenue
> Bldg 32, Room 5341
> Silver Spring, MD  20993
> Phone:  301-796-8452
> BB:  240-753-3939
> Fax:  301-847-8623
> Email:  helene.clayton-jeter at fda.hhs.gov
> Diabetes Information
> Cardiovascular Information
>
>
> THIS MESSAGE IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF THE PARTY TO WHOM IT IS
> ADDRESSED AND MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED,
CONFIDENTIAL, 
> AND PROTECTED FORM DISCLOSURE UNDER LAW. If you are not the addressee,
or 
> a person authorized to deliver the document to the addressee, you are 
> hereby notified that any review disclosure, dissemination, copy or
other 
> action based on the content of this communication is not authorized.
If 
> you have received this document in error, please immediately notify us
by 
> e-mail or telephone.
>
>
>
>
>
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