The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to companies selling illegal products that claim to treat diabetes, with a response time of 15 business days or they will be subjected to legal action including seizure of such products.
Several studies have been conducted to find effective ways to prevent and control diabetes, but the number of people diagnosed has risen significantly over the past few years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has taken a step forward to remove illegal products from the market that claim to treat diabetes. Most of these products are incorrectly marketed as over-the-counter products when they must be prescribed. FDA warns that these products contain harmful ingredients in unknown quantities, which do not undergo sufficient trials before they are sold to consumers.
According to a WHO report, 347 million people suffer from diabetes worldwide, projected to be the seventh leading cause of death in 2030. Diabetes is a condition where the sugar or glucose levels in the blood are higher than normal, either due to the inability to produce sufficient insulin or the cells fail to respond to the insulin produced in the pancreas. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to severe health conditions including heart disease, blindness and kidney failure.
"Diabetes is a serious chronic condition that should be properly managed using safe and effective FDA-approved treatments," FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., said in a press statement. "Consumers who buy violative products that claim to be treatments are not only putting themselves at risk but also may not be seeking necessary medical attention, which could affect their diabetes management."
FDA has issued written warnings to the companies that are selling such illegal products that claim to prevent and treat diabetes. The companies have 15 business days to correct the violation before FDA takes legal action. It may result in seizure of the products, ban and/or criminal prosecution.
