Ephedra Sales Banned in United States

Sales of the herbal stimulant ephedra became illegal in the United States on Monday. The ban took effect after a federal judge refused to grant a temporary restraining order sought by two manufacturers that would have blocked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from outlawing products containing the substance.

The FDA announced the ban in December and urged consumers to stay away from ephedra, which the agency said was linked to 155 deaths and numerous heart attacks and strokes.

The FDA has a higher standard to meet for supplements than it has for drugs. Drugs must be shown to be safe and effective before they are approved, while the government must show that supplements are dangerous before they can be removed from the market.

The maker of one ephedra supplement called Stacker 2, NVE Pharmaceuticals of New Jersey, filed a lawsuit last month seeking to overturn the ban, at least temporarily. The company claimed the FDA lacked proof that the stimulant is dangerous when used as directed, according to the Associated Press.

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Last updated 4/12/2004.

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