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Study finds
ephedra may pose health risk to some users
Based on a review of 140 adverse events
reports provided by the FDA, the study authors concluded "that
dietary supplements that contain ephedra alkaloids pose a serious
health risk to some users." The study, scheduled for December
21 publication in the New England Journal of Medicine,
was released one month early because of its "potential clinical
and public health implications." Michael McGuffin of the American
Herbal Products Association criticized the report for several
errors of fact and lack of sufficient review. Toxicologist Theodore
Farber, who studied the adverse events reports for the Ephedra
Education Council, asserted that the FDA's data were so flawed
and collected so unsystematically that they were unsuitable for
use in causal analysis. While acknowledging the inherent problems
with the data, study author Neal L. Benowitz maintained that "there
is enough here to raise a flag." Washington Post, November
7, 2000.
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