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FDA Standing in the Way of Natural Pain Management

FDA Standing in the Way of Natural Pain Management

Why the many health benefits of CBD could be the reason it gets put out of reach for many consumers. Action Alert!

The FDA recently held a Stakeholder Call with the hemp industry to provide further information on the agency’s plans to regulate CBD. Recall that the agency has rejected CBD as a supplement and is working with Congress to develop a “new pathway” for CBD. Details on this new pathway are scarce, but the idea seems to be to regulate CBD more than supplements but less than drugs. This will likely drive up the price of CBD and make it less available to consumers. We need to support bills that take this issue out of the FDA’s hands to create a legal pathway to market CBD supplements.

On the Stakeholder Call and in previous communications, the FDA holds up safety as the key issue preventing CBD from being a food or supplement. When the agency denied three Citizens Petitions arguing for CBD to be allowed as a supplement, they explained “it is not apparent how CBD products could meet the applicable safety standard for dietary supplements.” In a Wall Street Journal interview earlier this year, an FDA official said the agency is looking at whether CBD can be safely eaten every day for a long period or during pregnancy. In November 2020, the FDA posted information to its website warning consumers of the harms that CBD can cause, including liver damage and male reproductive toxicity.

Presumably, the “new pathway” for CBD that the FDA is working towards will impose additional pre-market requirements and regulatory hurdles for CBD products. This move will increase prices for consumers and decrease the available product options since not all companies will be able to comply with the regulations. It also means less competition for the FDA-approved CBD drug, Epidiolex. As usual, consumers are the ones who lose.  

As we’ve argued previously, the FDA’s view on CBD’s safety is not supported by experts in the industry and elsewhere. A 2020 meta-analysis looked at human trials to assess CBD efficacy and safety. The authors concluded that most studies reported no adverse events with acute administration of CBD and mild to moderate effects with chronic administration, with the most common side effects being tiredness, diarrhea and changes of appetite/weight. Harvard Health Publishing, the publication of the Harvard Medical School, states simply that, for adults, “CBD appears to be very safe.” We believe that the safety question is a smokescreen to protect drug industry profits. Epidiolex costs $32,500 a year. Allowing CBD supplements on the market would cut into these profits.

Because cannabis and CBD have been considered a Schedule 1 drug, it’s been difficult to conduct research on CBD’s health effects. But as these restrictions loosen, we’re starting to learn about the incredible healing power of CBD. Research is finding that CBD can help with many kinds of pain, such as neuropathic pain from multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and chronic pain. But that’s just the start. There is evidence supporting CBD’s use in treating anxiety disorders, managing opioid withdrawal, helping people quit smoking, reducing some effects of Alzheimer’s disease, and more.

The amazing array of health benefits of CBD could very well be why the FDA is trying to hamstring our access to it. Widely available CBD could reduce our reliance on certain pharmaceutical drugs, which the pharmaceutical industry obviously does not want. Remember, as ex-FDA official David Graham once said, the FDA sees Big Pharma as its client whose interests it represents. After all, the drug industry provides 45 percent of the FDA’s budget through the fees it pays to have the FDA approve drugs.

This is why we need Congress to create a legal pathway for CBD supplements. There are current bills that do this, notably one introduced by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA). We cannot let the FDA stand in the way of wider access to this naturally occurring compound.

Action Alert! Write to Congress in support of bills that allow CBD in dietary supplements. Please send your message immediately.

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10 thoughts on “FDA Standing in the Way of Natural Pain Management

  • Jean E Keen

    Some people can not tolerate pain meds like NSAIDS, steroids , ASA or RX pain meds !!!!!!! What are they to use if not natural substances ?????. But then FDA and Pharma could care less!!!!!! All they care about is money and power!!!!!

  • Elaine

    I have rheumatoid arthritis and severe in my shoulder. The only pain relief I got was using CBD oil. Of course the FDA does not want consumers to have less expensive choices than pharmaceuticals because they are funded by Big Pharma.

    • BearWill

      Elaine,
      You’re Right, In 2013 I was suffering from server RA, when they checked my blood they(the VA) also found Lymphoma & Bone Cancer, It scared me to death & pounded the Net. We changed Our Entire Diet, Gluten Free & Organic Only Foods & Drinks. Within 3 days I had way less pain in joints & tendons. 6 months later blood work results, No RA, Lymphoma & Bone Cancer. 9 months later blood work, Server RA, Lymphoma & Bone Cancer still All Clear. Younger Dr. laughs & say’s, I’ve changed my diet to your’s Sure after seeing my bloodwork results & also say’s, Looking at your bloodwork numbers, can’t be anymore Perfect than they are Right Now ! Now what’s going at me exacerbating any lingering condition is Petroleum Toxins Contaminating All of Our Foods & Drinks.

  • Barbara

    I have a grandson that depends on it to lessen his seizures, what will he use in place of it, a toxic chemical laden drug by big pharma??!
    Barbara

  • gerry racik

    I have been using CBD oil for the last three years. It is the only product that can help stop the pain in my arthritic knee without using dangerous drugs. It does not require much oil and is effective immediately and is also inexpensive.

  • Lillian

    I am in natural healing remedies for the past 62 yrs and have seen the medical tyranny FDA has continued on mankind. It is not about us healing, its about keep us sick, diseased to line the pockets of evil Big Pharma & Doctors. There is no money in people staying well. Its all about profits not health

    As for CBD I have had access to the strongest pure forms and it has done absolutely nothing for chronic pain, other ailments in many cases. It is overrated and already way overpriced because many of these CBD sellers are doing the same pricing rip off Big Pharma is doing. If you want to be in Natural Healing Therapies you should not suffer from greed. Im not saying all of the retailers do this but numerous ones do and their products whether topical or internal simply have failed the healing arts. I work with seriously injured clients suffering from car accidents, bad falls, ranch accidents, sports injuries, Fibromialgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome etc and have quit bothering with CBD for oral or topical application.

  • Stephen Matweyou

    The job of the FDA is to protect the consumer not the big pharmaceutical companies. CBD works for pain and is not harmful to our health like many of the Big Pharma products prescribed.
    Many of the prescription meds cause so many negative side effects that many cannot tolerate or cause severe reactions which compound the problems.

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