Millions of Americans use vitamins and supplements as a measure of protection against disease, including cancer. Some patients integrate such supplements into their treatment plans as a complement to traditional medicine.Last Friday, the FDA said it will phase in a new rule that all manufacturers of vitamins, herbal and other dietary supplements will have to test the ingredients of such products for safety. This rule is intended to ensure that the ingredients on the label match up with the ingredients in the supplement and that no contamination has occurred.
According to an article in the Washington Post, Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of the Public Citizen's Health Research Group, is still not satisfied. Dr. Wolfe said, "You still don't have to show the product is safe. You don't have to prove it works."
While there still might be a lot of work to be done on this issue, this action is a step in the right direction.
