Ignoring the long history of successful traditional supplement use and the numerous health problems consumers risk every day from over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, Consumer Reports recently published an article criticizing the lack of nutritional and herbal supplement regulation (2004;69:12–7). Making several false or misleading claims, the authors single out 12 “dangerous” supplements, referring to them as the “dirty dozen,” and calling for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban them; however, their recommendations are based on theoretical dangers or on reported reactions given without contextual details that would clarify whether the supplement alone was to blame. Weighing the relatively rare occurrences of toxicity against potential benefits, banning these herbs is an inappropriate conclusion. While it is important to educate and warn consumers about possible hazards of supplement use, it is equally important to recognize their unique medicinal qualities and their relative safety in comparison with the medications that they might replace.  Read More . . .

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