Fw: [PUBCIT_PRESS] Public Citizen Cites Military Study of Heat-Related Injuries at California Military Base to Underscore Dangers of Ephedra

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----- Original Message -----

From: " Public Citizen Press Office " <pcpress@...>

<PUBCIT_PRESS@...>

Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 3:38 PM

Subject: [PUBCIT_PRESS] Public Citizen Cites Military Study of Heat-Related

Injuries at California Military Base to Underscore Dangers of Ephedra

> Public Citizen Press Releases

> Providing the latest information about Public Citizen activities

> -------------------------------------------

>

> Public Citizen Cites Military Study of Heat-Related Injuries at

> California Military Base to Underscore Dangers of Ephedra

>

> In Separate Science Magazine Article,

> Public Citizen Calls on FDA to Fulfill its Legal Mandate

>

> WASHINGTON, D.C. - Although just a small percentage of Marines at Camp

> Pendleton, Calif., reported using the herbal supplement ephedra daily

> during 2000, half the heat-related injuries reported that year were

> among the Marines who had used ephedra, according to an unpublished

> study.

>

> This strongly confirms that serious health risks are associated with

> ephedra use, Public Citizen said today.

>

> A summary of the study, posted on a military Web site, was based on a

> survey and medical data from the First Marine Division at Camp

> Pendleton, Calif. It found that although 7 percent of Marines reported

> daily use of ephedrine dietary supplements during the year 2000, " half

> of all [Marines with] heat related injuries in 2000 in 1MARDIV (First

> Marine Division) had used ephedra. "

>

> The information also documented specific cases of ephedra-related

> injuries in military personnel, including a death from Cybertrim (a

> supplement containing ephedra) at Marine Corps Logistic Base in Barstow,

> Calif., and a cerebral hemorrhage in an active duty person at Point Loma

> Naval Submarine Base in San Diego. That person was using Ultimate

> Orange, another ephedra supplement.

>

> Military personnel could not be reached to obtain further information

> about the study. Previous reports indicate that there have been about 30

> deaths of active duty military personnel who were using ephedrine

> dietary supplement products.

>

> Public Citizen is publicizing the Camp Pendleton information the same

> week as the publication of an article by Sidney M. Wolfe, M.D., director

> of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, about ephedra in the April 18

> edition of Science magazine. In the article, " Ephedra: Scientific

> Evidence Versus Money/Politics, " Wolfe traces the history of injuries

> and deaths linked to ephedra and the influence of money and politics on

> the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) refusal to ban it. He

> noted that although some manufacturers are no longer selling supplements

> containing ephedra, the government should not rely on the marketplace to

> protect the public's health.

>

> " Regulation is now coming from the marketplace, operating in the vacuum

> created by FDA inaction, " Wolfe wrote. " This is not an acceptable way to

> safeguard public health, and product labeling is not enough. We call on

> the FDA . . . to stop the occurrence of further preventable deaths and

> injuries by banning ephedra products. "

>

> Data show that products containing ephedra increase the risk of

> hypertension, stroke, heart attacks, arrhythmia and seizures. More than

> 100 deaths in the United States have been linked to ephedra. Most

> recently, the death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler focused

> public attention on the dangerous supplement ingredient yet again.

>

> Because of these serious problems, Public Citizen in 2001 petitioned

> the FDA to ban ephedra. While a number of manufacturers have announced

> they will stop selling supplements containing ephedra, the government

> has yet to act.

>

> " It would appear that the FDA is part of the 'Ephedra Industry Survival

> Service,' not part of the public health service, Wolfe said. " The

> government is talking about putting warning labels on ephedra products,

> but that is not enough. These products can kill, and they shouldn't be

> on the shelves. "

>

> Information about the 2000 Camp Pendleton study is posted at

>

http://www-nehc.med.navy.mil/downloads/workshop01pres/idc/Nutritional%20Supp

lements.ppt.

>

> Both the Army and the Air Force have stopped selling ephedra products

> in their commissaries. The National Football League, the National

> Collegiate Athletic Association and the International Olympic Committee

> have prohibited the use of ephedra among athletes.

>

> To read a chronology of ephedra - including a new citation to a Web

> site promoting ephedra use to military personnel - go to

> http://www.citizen.org/publications/release.cfm?ID=7241.

>

> ###

>

> Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization

> based in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit

> www.citizen.org.

>

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