House, Senate Introduce Ephedra Ban Resolutions

House, Senate Introduce Ephedra Ban Resolutions

WASHINGTONTwo resolutionswere introduced Nov. 6 to the legislatureboth asking for an ephedra ban. InHR 435, Reps. Susan Davis (D-Calif.), Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), James Greenwood(R-Pa.), Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and John Sweeney (R-N.Y.) asked the secretary ofHealth and Human Services (HHS) to remove supplements containing ephedraalkaloids. The resolution referenced the Rand Corp. study, reiterating that theresearch review found no long-term efficacy regarding ephedrine alkaloids,weight loss and sports performance. The resolutions writers also discussed the 16,500 adverseevent reports (AERs) the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has collected, whichinclude 155 reports of death; the 30 Army soldiers who have reportedly diedafter taking a supplement containing ephedrine alkaloids; and the AmericanMedical Associations call for the HHS secretary to ban ephedra supplements.

The same wording was introduced in SR 260, co-sponsored bySens. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.). In related news, McCainalso became a recent co-sponsor of Durbins SB 722.