Support Letter Regarding Illinois Senate Bill 1418

March 19, 2003

The Honorable Barack Obama
Illinois General Assembly
M114 Capitol Building
Springfield, Illinois 62706

Dear Senator Obama:

Consumers Union, Publisher of Consumer Reports Magazine commends you for sponsoring the "Ephedra Prohibition Act" (SB 1418), legislation designed to ban sales of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids ("ephedra") in Illinois. As you know, evidence continues to mount about the serious health risks posed by ephedra, an herbal supplement that acts like an amphetamine. In addition to concern about safety, existing evidence casts doubt on claims that ephedra-containing supplements can benefit consumers in terms of either weight loss or performance boosting effects.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has compelling data showing that ephedra poses serious and unreasonable health risks to consumers. To date, the FDA says that at least 100 deaths have been linked to the use of ephedra. Other studies reveal that risks from the use of ephedra far outweigh any benefits. For example, a comprehensive report appearing in the March 26, 2003 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, links the use of ephedra with risks of heart, psychiatric, and gastrointestinal problems, while finding insufficient evidence to support its use to enhance athletic performance, or to promote long-term weight loss.

An analysis released by the Annals of Internal Medicine in February 2003, reveals additional evidence of consumer harms caused by ephedra. The study shows that that products containing ephedra accounted for 64% of all adverse reactions to herbal products reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers in 2001. The researchers calculated relative risks for an adverse reaction to ephedra compared with other herbs in the database and found a huge (100-fold or more) increase in risks for those taking ephedra.

Recognizing the risks posed by these products, companies in the private sector have removed these unsafe products from store shelves. Twinlab Corporation, a major herbal supplement manufacturer based in Hauppauge, N.Y., has ceased all sales of products containing ephedra as of this month, because of "escalating insurance costs and regulatory uncertainties." The convenience store 7-Eleven, Inc. recently announced that it would no longer carry dietary supplements containing ephedra in its 5,300 retail convenience stores. Finally, in an announcement made March 18, 2003, Nature's Bounty, a major producer of ephedra-containing supplements announced that it will cease sales of all such products.

As described above, the serious risks associated with ephedra are clear. Once again, we express our support for your efforts to protect consumers from the dangers of ephedra-containing dietary supplement products.

Sincerely,

Janell Mayo Duncan
Legislative and Regulatory Counsel
Consumers Union Washington DC Office

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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