U.S. to Ban Dietary Supplement Ephedra
Dec 30, 10:20 AM (ET)
By JOHN SOLOMON
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration has decided to ban the herbal
weight-loss supplement ephedra from the marketplace because of concerns about
its effects on health, government officials said Tuesday.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and Food and Drug
Administration chief Mark McClellan were to announce the ban at a midday news
conference, the officials said, speaking only on condition of anonymity.
The ban is likely to be met with litigation from manufacturers who dispute the
agency's assertion that ephedra, which was blamed in the death of a
professional baseball player earlier this year, is a health risk.
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