Thursday, May 14, 2009

Cheerios: America’s Drug of Choice

I haven’t posted a Squall Line in quite some time but when the FDA starts telling Cheerios that they’re making claims only approved for prescription drugs, I’ve got to say something.

I don’t think there’s anyone who hasn’t shaken their heads at the numerous ridiculous ways our government has spent our tax dollars in the last year.

Health is a subject that is near and dear to my heart and you can believe that I've observed the direction of the FDA in the last number of years with alarm that has grown to horror. If the direction doesn't change, your right to buy vitamins and choose complimemtary health could vanish. I won’t belabor the point today, but here are excerpts from an article at eFitness.com. You can read the brief article HERE.
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The FDA has issued an official warning letter to General Mills Inc. last week ordering it to modify how it markets the health benefits of Cheerios.

The particulars of the Food and Drug Administration findings are in a letter dated May 5th. The Cheerios ads claim in six weeks “Cheerios could help lower your cholesterol 4%,” but in making that claim, the FDA says Cheerios becomes a drug, which can’t be commercialized for its benefits without approval.

That claim, along with similar assertions about Cheerios’ cancer-fighting and heart-healthy qualities, amount to “unauthorized health claims” and violate the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the agency said.

The FDA letter told General Mills that it was “your responsibility to ensure that all of your products are in compliance with the Act and its implementing regulations.” And if the company failed to “promptly correct the violations” then the government may have to take “enforcement action without further notice.”

General Mills argues that the Cheerios health claims have been approved for 12 years, and the FDA’s complaints deal with the language on the box.
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"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from the government."
--Thomas Paine 'The Rights of Man' c.1792.

As one of America’s Founding Fathers, Paine also penned a widely popular booklet called “Common Sense”. Seems to me that our government could use a strong dose of common sense. Oooops – I said “dose”. Does that mean I’m prescribing?

7 comments:

My ADHD Me said...

Good point. The FDA should be more concerned with all the miracle weight loss etc drugs than with Cheerios.
Hhhmmm....does that statement make me a lawyer?

Reasons said...

Oh don't start me...we have the same thing here. Wasted time, wasted money, over controlling...blah blah, chunter, chunter...

Greg C said...

Common sense? I believe that doesn't exist anymore. That went out with bellbottom jeans and platform shoes. LOL

I hear what you are saying and it is rediculous. The lady beside me at the market sells raw milk. You know the stuff that many of us drank as a child. Well now raw milk is bad juju and she has to put a label on it that says "Warning, Raw Milk may kill you." Well duh no kidding but the government may do it first. LOL

Zuzana said...

This is really a very odd concern; I think it can be viewed almost as an insult to one's intelligence. It seems that the government doesn't give people enough credit on being able to reach their own conclusions and make their own decision.
Not everything in society has to be so tightly regulated, but it is; we have similar issues in Europe as well.

Ballerina Girl said...

I totally agree with you....
as long as someone doesn't sure General Mills because their cholesterol wasn't lowered by 4 %...

I think our whole society has turned into a farse in some respects! No harm intended!

BG

Rosezilla (Tracie Walker) said...

good old Nanny State, always looking out for us (sarcasm, sarcasm). Oats are supposed to be good for us, I hear. All the warnings on things are ridiculous, but unfortunately people sue for being stupid, so I guess they feel they have to cover themselves. We all need to grow up and take responsibility for our own actions.

Edie said...

The government has no business interfering in private business. This is just one more step toward total control. Ugh!

Now that I'm deeper in politics than I have ever wanted to be with the Tea Party Movement, I have to say I have thought about you several times. I'm finding I'm pretty thin-skinned myself. lol.