Dietary supplements are not subject to the same clinical trial review process that governs conventional drugs in the United States. The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act places the burden of safety solely on the shoulders of supplement makers themselves.
Facilities involved in manufacturing dietary supplements must register with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but manufacturers and distributors are on the honor system when it comes to the truth of labeling claims.
Dr. Stephen Freedland, director of the Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said he does not recommend supplements to his patients.
“There is a growing number of studies that show they have no benefit, and may actually do harm,” he said. Often, “patients don’t understand the nuances of the claims being made.
“Maybe [some of these claims are] not mislabeling,” Freedland added. “But it’s misleading.”
The findings were presented Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology, in San Antonio. Research presented at meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.
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