Ephedra Warning Prompts Revision to Consumer Advisory

Format: Fact Sheet, Consumer Advisory
Institute: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

In light of the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning about ephedra-containing dietary supplements, NCCAM's Consumer Advisory on Ephedra updated its Web site. On December 30, 2003, the FDA recommended that consumers immediately stop using supplements containing ephedra, a substance derived from botanicals. The FDA plans to follow up its advice with a ban on ephedra-containing supplements, but the ban will not extend to ephedra in traditional Chinese medicines.

Next Steps
Learn more about ephedra on NCCAM's Web site at http://nccam.nih.gov. View NCCAM's updated consumer advisory at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/alerts/ephedra/consumeradvisory.htm or order copies from the NCCAM Information Clearinghouse at (888) 644-6226.