Big Pharma's Lunatic FDA Says Cherries Are Now DRUGS
Mary Sparrowdancer
Looking closer, nearly all of the many companies I looked into this afternoon have received WARNING letters from the FDA stating that because of their claims about the healing properties of tart cherries, the cherry juice and/or cherries are therefore considered to be a "drug," and the vendors must file a "New Drug Application." What crap is this!!!!!!!!
Big pharma must be very, very scared about tart cherry juice. I am, therefore, going to order some right away.
Here are two examples of FDA letters - note that they specifically cited the suggestion that the consumer can stop taking prescriptions if they will begin taking tart cherries in some form.
Anyway, it appears that as long as food is empty of all nutrients, then it is "food" - but if it has any health-promoting nutrients or benefits at all, then it is considered a new drug in the US, hence a "New Drug Application" must be made.
http://www.casewatch.org/fdawarning/prod/2005/seaquist.shtml
http://www.casewatch.org/fdawarning/prod/2005/overlake.shtml
Here's the list of all of them, dated 2005. The firms are all still advertising the same health benefits on their sites, so I guess they've given the FDA a Bronx raspberry re the Montmorency cherry scandal.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/chrylist.html