Popular cereal (Cheerios) is a drug, US food watchdog says

Popular cereal is a drug, US food watchdog says

Tue May 12, 6:27 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Popular US breakfast cereal Cheerios is a drug, at least if the claims made on the label by its manufacturer General Mills are anything to go by, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said.

"Based on claims made on your product's label, we have determined that your Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug," the FDA said in a letter to General Mills which was posted on the federal agency's website Tuesday.

snip...
Those claims indicate that Cheerios -- said by General Mills to be the best-selling cereal in the United States -- is intended to be used to lower cholesterol and prevent, lessen or treat the disease hypercholesterolemia, and to treat and prevent coronary heart disease.

"Because of these intended uses, the product is a drug," the FDA concluded in its letter.

Not only that, but Cheerios is a new drug because it has not been "recognized as safe and effective for use in preventing or treating hypercholesterolemia or coronary heart disease," the FDA said.

That means General Mills may not legally market Cheerios unless it applies for approval as a new drug or changes the way it labels the small, doughnut-shaped cereal, the FDA said.


more....
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/healthusfoodmedicine


Boxes of Cheerios cereal are displayed on a shelf at a market in California. Popular US breakfast cereal Cheerios is a drug, at least if the claims made on the label by its manufacturer General Mills are anything to go by, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said.
(AFP/Getty Images/Justin Sullivan)

:evilgrin:

:rofl:

oh wait, it is a SOLUBLE fiber that does that.

:banghead: this is kind of amazing as they are going after GM... but not after the supplement market...

How about all the gazillion other food problems in this country? :grr:

Manufacturers need to stop making bogus claims like this with impunity.

nt

Fiber does reduce cholesterol.

Granted, one has to eat well all day long and not just at breakfast, but whole cereals and grains are good for you.

Now, if they want to go after bogus claims, they should tear Miller Lite a new butthole for claiming it has "great taste." :puke:

And they remain SILENT on them...

go figure...

:rofl:

cause i like it, lol lol. and that is all. a drug huh. wow

They had a sweepstakes promotion last month where one could be an instant winner. We were instant winners two times, for five dollars each. As winners we got a five dollar Discovery credit card.

Credit card promotion is getting out of hand.

but wouldnt be interested anyway.

has a problem with these claims... like some dealer is taking over their territory.

after reading the story, was that the drug companies were probably involved in this.

Some drug companies don’t want people to eat right, it cuts in on their profit.

But going by the listed ingredients and nutrition info, it would probably be reasonable to market it as a "multi-vitamin supplement".

13 years, and I can't describe how much time we spent making sure no claims were made on any labels or by any of our employees! Anything like that constitutes prescribing, and we weren't licensed to do that! Neither is GM!

They should take the claim off the label, and spend their ad dollars on having licensed drs air statement ads claiming that additional fiber in your diet lowers cholesterol, and cereals like whole grain oat Cheerios provide that additional fiber.

It's not that the Cheerios itself will lower cholesterol, it's that eating a healthy breakfast everyday will. I'm sure cereals like Special K and Kashi are pissed that Cheerios was able to get away with it for so long.

You don't want to start seeing "lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks by drinking this brand of water" on a water bottle... just because it's possible doesn't mean it's going to happen and that you should not see a doctor instead if you do have a cholesterol problem. I'm not necessarily sure if it's big pharma, but it could be the fact that people still do need to exercise and see their doctor if they have health problems, not that cheereos will solve a problem on it's own.

It's that easy.

Same logic that says a natural herb (called marijuana) is evil, while their chemicalized products will cure what ails you.

Nature's pharmacoepia is a gift to those who inhabit the Earth.

What makes this any different?

FUCKING DUMB ASSES = FDA.

I'm so glad to find out the FDA has nothing better to do with it's time.

:rofl:
rocktivity

Very addictive in some circles.

Why don't they do something important like keeping salmonella out of our food supply.

like "ketchup is a vegetable" and "I hate broccoli".

And then there are the corporations that want to make food products as cheaply as possible using ingredients like HFCS instead of cane sugar. They make a huge profit while selling us junk that they claim is good for your family. Everything on the teevee is true, don't ya' know?

is that a specific claim is made. They say 4% without any studies to back up that claim. This probably became an issue because it is Cheerios.

I'll bet that there are a lot of actions we don't hear about because the products are lesser known. The FDA is getting around to becoming a real agency again after the Bush years. Granted that there are a lot of bigger fish to fry. However, if this is supposed to be monitored, then why rank on them for making a move?

I will also be watching for stricter moves on bigger products.

mean throw away your medicines.

However, since I am allergic to cholesterol meds, oatmeal etc. is a part of my routine.

Maybe they should make a new label that says something like " FOOD that may help you lower your cholesterol."

Whatever, I'll keep eating my Cheerio's.

Advertised all over the TV.

"Because of these intended uses, the product is a drug,"

:eyes:

I thought Jared Fogle's diet was at least substantiated by a peer-reviewed journal article. Or am I mistaken?

In either case, it could always be worse:

http://www.find-health-articles.com/rec_pub_19145051-organophosphate-poisoning-wheat-bagel.htm

promising 'male enhancment' and the FDA goes after Cheerios? Whatever.

This is either a publicity stunt or a big pharma money grab.