MLB, John McCain, and the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010
John McCain (seen here with Rob Manfred (L) executive vice president of labor for Major League Baseball, during a news conference on dietary supplements, on Capitol Hill, February 3, 2010) has the support of MLB. Should he?
Just days before the Super Bowl, Senator John McCain (R – Arizona) officially announced the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010 (DSSA10). The bill, which he is co-sponsoring with Senator Byron Dorgan (D – North Dakota) proposes to give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) control over the dietary supplement industry.
Inspired in part by the questionable make-up of certain non-prescription supplements, some of which have been blamed by athletes for their positive drug tests, has many supporters (including Bud Selig) that believe that, if signed into law, this bill would be beneficial for both sports and the public at large.
On the surface the bill seems likable enough. The profit margin on dietary supplements and vitamin sales topped $2.25 billion in 2007. Many of the items are marketed so as to lead consumers to the notion that they had true medicinal value while they are supposedly made up of ingredients heretofore not regulated.
McCain’s speech specifically mentioned the concept of certain manufacturers who are less than honest about ingredients, including substances that they should not be. This is the argument that the jocks use, as in, “I was only taking supplements. I had no idea they contained a banned substance!” According to McCain, they may not be lying after all. The issue gets a little bit cloudier, though, when one stops and thinks about that very issue. If the supplement manufacturers are adding substances that they should not be, they are already subject to scrutiny by the FDA. This from DailyPaul.com (as in Ron Paul):
“The fact is that the FDA has all the legal authority it needs to remove supplements that contain illegal drugs from the market. The FDA has failed to do its job, and there are companies selling dietary supplements that contain prescription drugs. If the FDA continues to fail to do its job, then these companies will continue to sell drug-tainted supplements no matter what new laws are “created” by Congress.”
Bud Selig supports the DSSA. Some wonder what he sees in it.
Moreover, even with the need for some better safeguards on the sale of supplements, the added issue of the methods proposed – i.e. the jurisdiction of the FDA – are appropriate, or more to the point whether the ends justify the means.
The somewhat silent partner in all of this is the pharmaceutical industry. Dietary supplement manufacturers are competition for the established pharmaceutical companies. While the bulk of profits come from the highly regulated “real” medications that the FDA controls, their competitors are pulling in a large share of the market producing products that are not within the bailiwick of the government.
“Big Business” pharmaceuticals, via their strong lobby, have a vested interest in the passage of DSSA10. With the large influence that the lobby holds in terms of its “partnerships” within Congress (and by extension the FDA), is it not reasonable to believe that the body that will regulate the supplement industry might be unfairly influenced by that very industry’s main competitor?
As for professional sports, the issue has always been education and self-regulation. The recent changes in the drug policy of Major League Baseball, while certainly sped along by government publicity, are as successful as they have been because they are internal. Athletes need to be smarter about what they put in their bodies. Is it too much to expect that a professional baseball player that makes (at least) several hundred thousands of dollars per year and has at his disposal a full compliment of team trainers and medical staff could take the time to fully explore the supplements that he plans on taking?
MLB does its own testing and levies its own punishments. Even if one assumes that the plea of the fallen,that they were unaware of contents of their supplements, is true, a plan of action that begins far away in Washington D.C. seems very distant thunder to be inspiring support from the Commissioner.
The issue has an odd final irony to it, as well. The same Congressmen who usually rant and rave about trying to avoid “big government” are the same ones who are usually closest to big business. Those two tenants are usually congruent. It will be fascinating to see how the situation plays out now that those two side will be in opposition.
This is nothing more a big pay off to big pharma. Pharma doesn’t like the competition and they trying for years to get it eliminated. Supplements serve a very useful purpose and in many cases are much better and safer than prescription drugs. Pharma can’t patient natural substances and therefore cannot exclusively control them.
These are the same pharmceuticle companies which are promoting Obama care in order to insure taxpayers will pick up the tab for their drugs under Medicaide, Medicare and private insurers. Keep the partnership of Big Pharma and government out of the lives of those who desire to heal ourselves naturally and avoid dangerous drugs.
This is nothing more a big pay off to big pharma. Pharma doesn't like the competition and they trying for years to get it eliminated. Supplements serve a very useful purpose and in many cases are much better and safer than prescription drugs. Pharma can't patient natural substances and therefore cannot exclusively control them.
These are the same pharmceuticle companies which are promoting Obama care in order to insure taxpayers will pick up the tab for their drugs under Medicaide, Medicare and private insurers. Keep the partnership of Big Pharma and government out of the lives of those who desire to heal ourselves naturally and avoid dangerous drugs.
Perhaps the Senator could benefit from taking some supplements himself, I would recommend that he start with some ginko and B12, which will help him stave off his developing dementia.
Geezers like him have no business denigrating the benefits of vitamins and assuming that they know more about vitamins than people, who have been taking them for over 40 years! I am living proof of their benefits. Taking care of myself thru exercise and daily handfuls of vitamins-many of which, I am sure most doctors are not aware and certainly not McCain- is my hobby. For instance, I have been taking 3600 IU of vitamin E, since before I read the Shute Brothers book extolling its attributes in the late 60's. Then as now the medical experts claimed mega doses were unnecessary because we got enough vitamins in our daily diet. I always countered with my own logic : what if in 20 years they discover that vitamin E can slow the aging process-which it most certainly does-then I have 20 years more in the bank than those foolish idiots, who listened to the experts advice and didn't take it.
In conclusion, the Senator should seek other ways to finance his current Senatorial Challenge than selling out to the big pharmaceutical industry. Maybe, he would not be in such a tenuous political position if had advanced a true immigration bill which would have sealed the borders and promised to deport the 30-40 million of illegal immigrants, who are destroying our country and causing our health care costs to rise so astronomically!
But what about Monsanto and the GMO foods and seeds… Get you vitamins from food is a bunch of BS. The soil has been stripped of almost 84% of its nutient value becuase of this situation with Monsanto let alone the traces of pesticide in the food…. but yet they are fine to run with full blanket immunity… What about aspertame and how it got its approval by Donald Rumbsfeild and the kick back he got when he worked for Searl… The big pharma company… the product is poison and causes cancer yet the scientific data was still not evidence enough for the US Gov….. Its in everything… and thats okay…. how about some floride in the water to…. leave us the fuck alone
I just fell victim to an Acai scam on one of these free trials offered by one of those websites. At first I didnt know how to get out of the problem I was in until I came across a blog post that sorted me out. I guess I should’ve read the acai reviews out there before I trusted that product! Anyways, good post above, I didnt mean to hijack the conversation, just really bitter about problem I was in!
Lots of Fantastic information in your posting, I favorited your blog post so I can visit again in the near future, Cheers
It is ironic that some athletes will endorse a bill to place control over availability of dietary supplements into the hands of big-pharma politicians while endorsing MacDonalds and Coca-cola as the thing to consume.
Thanks to you for this essential article. Where I can get more information about this writting? I have a panel discussion incoming this week and your writting is related with it.
Very informative article with many interesting suggestions! I can’t say that I totally agree with everything you have suggested here, but there are a few critical recommendations you have highlighted that can be rather usable on natural health and related topics. Definitely keep providing more recommendations on this topic and related matters, as there are plenty of people who are attempting to evaluate the pluses and minuses.
I’ve learned a lot from your blog here,Keep on going,my friend,I will keep an eye on it,thanks for your post!welcome to 许昌374楼论坛.
let me just say that i love the way you write and post articles on your blog -:;,.”
Kitchen islands designs have become one of the most requested features for
home buyers when searching for a new home. Many people
may possibly think that getting the common rectangular or square block in the center of the
room a little intrusive and not extremely distinct, but
how you use this space and what you’ve incorporated on it,
around it and over it makes the big difference.
Closely, akin to kitchen carts, but often used more for functionality than style are kitchen utility carts.
What’s up, after reading this remarkable piece of writing i
am also delighted to share my familiarity here with friends.