Why Is Metabolife Not Federally Regulated?
Metabolife is an ephedra-based product that stimulates the nervous system and speeds up metabolism. Contained in hundreds of other herbal products, despite being linked to more deaths and injuries than every other type of herbal product combined, the 1994 federal law allows ephedra to be exempted from federal regulation because it is classified as a food. Supplements like Metabolife are not subjected to the same strict clinical testing standards as prescription and most over-the-counter drugs. The FDA has been criticized for trying to obtain information on the adverse effects associated to Metabolife and other ephedra products. The FDA has not been able to get Metabolife to provide any information until the Metabolife criminal investigation was launched.
