Earlier this month, the US FDA issued a draft guidance outlining plans to increase the enforcement of homeopathic medicines that pose serious safety risks, such as medicines marketed with claims of treating cancer, heart disease, and opioid and alcohol addictions. US law dictates that homeopathic medications meet the same approval requirements as other drugs, but since 1988, the FDA used “enforcement discretion” to permit the manufacturing and distribution of homeopathic medicines without the need for FDA approval. Although the new proposal will not require homeopathic medicines to receive FDA approval, it outlines a greater level of scrutiny of homeopathic products for medicines considered health threats. Under the new proposal, the majority of homeopathic medications will not be deemed high risk and will still be easily accessible to consumers.

The draft guidance will be open for comment for 90 days.

Source: Washington Post