CONSUMERS UNION CALLS ON FDA, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TO BAN EPHEDRA

WASHINGTON, DC -- Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, has renewed its call for a ban on the use of ephedra.

Consumers Union is asking the Food and Drug Administration and Major League Baseball to prohibit the use of ephedra, which is used in dietary supplements sold as weight-loss aids and energy boosters.

Ephedra has been associated with serious health problems including hypertension, irregular heartbeat, stroke, and seizures. Some of those problems resulted in death or permanent injury, and occurred in previously healthy people.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler died of heatstroke on February 17 after he reportedly used a dietary supplement containing ephedra. A medical examiner told reporters that ephedra may have been one of several factors behind Bechler's death. A toxicology report is expected to be completed in March.

In a letter today to FDA, Consumers Union wrote that Mr. Bechler's tragic death "should remind all consumers about the dangers" of ephedra and "should serve as a clarion call to the [FDA] to immediately ban dietary supplements containing ephedra from the marketplace."

This is the second time that Consumers Union has asked FDA to ban ephedra products. In November 2002 the consumer group wrote the agency to call for a ban on such products because they "provide dubious health benefits while posing serious health risks to consumers."

Today Consumers Union also sent a letter to Bud Selig, the head of Major League Baseball, to urge the league to prohibit the use of ephedra. The National Football League, the Olympics, and college sports already ban ephedra, but Major League Baseball does not.

"We urge Major League Baseball and other professional sports organizations to act now to protect athletes from the known and widely acknowledged hazards of ephedra, by banning the use of herbal supplements containing ephedra by baseball players in all training and professional sporting events," wrote Consumers Union.

To receive copies of these letters, please contact David Butler at butlda@consumer.org

END

View Files Sorted By Office: Consumers Union OPI, New York - Washington DC Office
West Coast Regional Office - Southwest Regional Office - Consumer Policy Institute

  
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