FDA and FTC Go Rogue and Threaten Dr. Weil

Both the FDA and FTC have declared all-out war against any natural products that might offer options to the H1N1 swine flu vaccines. This week, they went rogue on one of the best known doctors in alternative medicine, Dr. Andrew Weil. The FTC and the FDA have threatened Dr. Weil with criminal prosecution for making true statements about his immune-boosting formula.  In part, the threats against Dr. Weil are:

This is to advise you that the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and the United States Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) reviewed your website at the Internet address www.drweil.com on October 13, 2009. The FDA has determined that your website offers a product for sale that is intended to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 Flu Virus in people. This product has not been approved, cleared, or otherwise authorized by FDA for use in the diagnosis, mitigation, prevention, treatment, or cure of the H1N1 Flu Virus.

This product is your Immune Support Formula. The marketing of this product violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDC Act). 21 U.S.C. §§ 331, 351, 352. We request that you immediately cease marketing unapproved, uncleared, or unauthorized products for the diagnosis, mitigation, prevention, treatment, or cure of the H1N1 Flu Virus.

So the FDA wants him to stop marketing his immune support formula because they have not given the product their personal blessings and approval…

Violations of the FTC Act may result in legal action in the form of a Federal District Court injunction or Administrative Order. An order also may require that you pay back money to consumers.

Oh the irony…

This FTC / FDA letter claims Dr. Weil has been promoting his immune-boosting formula “…without rigorous scientific evidence sufficient to substantiate the claims.”

And the rigorous scientific evidence for the H1N1 vaccine is where???

You can read the full letter to Dr. Weil on the FTC’s own website - http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm186837.htm