The FDA says, in a letter to General Mills:
Based on claims made on your product's label, we have determined that your Cheerios® Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug because the product is intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease.
The letter continues on to say that Cheerios "may not be legally marketed with the above claims in the United States without an approved new drug application."
Is it wrong that we desperately want to read such an application?
FDA Warns General Mills: Cheerios Is a Drug [WSJ]
(Photo:Superchou)
If pills for breakfast is good enough for Liza Minelli, it's good enough for me!
]]>Agreed. This drives me nuts also.
"clinically proven" is an oxymoron. I'd be happy if they started using "clinically shown" instead.
]]>Come on, haven't you ever heard of a wake n' bake? Breakfast of champions.
]]>@djanes1: Don't forget a similar claim against all of those hawking exercise equipment and gyms...
]]>@snowburnt: Some are cures, some are treatments. The fastest growing classes of drugs are preventers though.
cholesterol, in and of itself, isn't a health problem. It's the side effects from it's building up, the heart attacks and such.
Thus, lowering cholesterol is a preventative measure, you take the drugs to try to prevent a heart attack. The old 'ounce of prevention vs a pound of cure' idea. Vaccines are in the category as well.
Treaments - stuff like cold 'remedies' - can't touch the disease itself, just makes it more pleasant for the sufferer.
Cures - Antibiotics.
]]>Since when were drugs part of a "balanced breakfast"?
I guess they can go back to the uber flimsy statment that Cheerios "may help lower cholesterol"
Then again Cherrios might not do anything either
]]>Last I heard they only treat diseases
]]>The FDA is upset that the pharmaceuticals, that butters FDA's bread , will lose money because people will choose to eat cereals and not drugs pushed by the pharmaceutical industry.
]]>A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.
You eat food, you get a boost of energy + vitamins. You drink coffee, caffeine keeps you alert. Most foods have some effect to our mind/body. Tons of food have health benefits (anti-oxidants, fiber, calcium, etc.) which make claims about lowering cholesterol or lowering the risk of hearth attack, etc.
This feels like FDA is just picking on General Mills. Are they unhappy they used the term "clinically proven"?
]]>Imagine what would happen if companies were allowed to print anything they wanted, and people had to learn that you can't trust what it says on a package just because it's "FDA approved," and learned to do their own research?
]]>@jcostantino:Their marketing it as a cereal now.
]]>I turn tricks for Trix!
]]>So? I've been snorting it for years!
]]>Idiots buy the sugar version
]]>Favorite snack - a piece of cheese, a half bowl of Cheerios (dry) and a glass of milk.
Not to mention if you are - ahem! - having difficulty with the Number 2, eat a bowl before you go to bed. By morning you'll be good to go. Hee hee.
]]>@pecan 3.14159265: I wonder if it would be covered by my health plan?
]]>@Eyebrows McGee (popping ~May 29): Cool-thanks for the link.
]]>@verucalise: I cut my Cheerios with 2% all the time.
]]>Thanks for killing any (arguable) humor that existed...
]]>@Bathmat:
"I really do wish that the FDA would similarly-snarky smack-downs onto other companies who market things that are "clinically proven"."
Activiaaaa!
]]>Remember, poison is a dosage, not a substance.
]]>Lets face it, if you could handle exercise and balanced/healthy diet, you probably don't have any of the problems these shysters are shilling.
Basically anything other than "We think Cheerios are delicious, you should try them" should be illegal as far as I'm concerned.
]]>@fatcop: That is the strangest misspelling of sausage I have ever seen. Kudos.
]]>Put simply, drugs can't be bought on food stamps.
]]>@babyruthless: But didn't ya know?? Skim milk is "clinically proven" to counteract osteoporosis.
Two drugs in one meal?? THAT'S ECONOMIC.
]]>Gotta go back to the basics to get the cereals that don't have HFCS. There are a few others however most cereals labeled as "healthy" contain HFCS...
]]>Mmm, it tastes so good.
]]>All Cheerios failed to do was word the claim properly so folks did not try and substitute them for their statins.
SirWired
]]>Good: Promotes digestive health (probiotic yogurt)
Bad: Reduces constipation
Good: Contains anti-oxidants for a healthy lifestyle.
Bad: Prevents cancer.
You get the idea...
]]>The FDA did not need to throw this onto General Mills. The only reason the FDA would have even consented to categorize Cheerios As a Drug is IF GM went to them for FDA Approval. If they did and were denied the disclaimer would read: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." Substantiation will be needed from GM to provide the FDA if it really through at least 2 clinical studies that prove it can "lower cholesterol".
Trust me... I do BS&P for a living ladies and gentlemen.
]]>Cheerios is a gateway drug. Pretty soon, you'll be jonsing for a nickle bag of Kix, and it's all downhill from there. Anyone want to do a line of Frosted Miniwheat scrapings?
]]>*rimshot*
]]>What would be funny (and never happen) is if General Mills took the FDA to the mat and filed the application!
]]>@jcostantino: TigerDirect bought the name.
]]>Does this mean I'll have to show my ID when picking up a couple boxes.
]]>I'm glad to see the FDA going after these compaines, now go after "Smilling Bob" and his magic man pills.
]]>@Coles_Law: Now all the bowls at the pharming parties will need is a splash o' milk.
]]>@Darrone: Imagine if they did that. See the big pharmacy machines dispensing "perscriptions" of thousands of cheerios.
I'm guessing it's fine if they just drop the "clinically" part though.
]]>- "These Cheerios yours, son? Your mother said she found this box in your closet. Where did you get it? Answer me! Who taught you how to do this stuff?"
- "YOU alright!? I learned to eat Cheerios by watching you!!!"
]]>Let any company tell it, everything is "clinically proven" by their "rigorous studies" - that the marketing department conducted in the mall and on napkins at the bar.
]]>"Stop marketing it as curing heart disease, or file an application to classify it as a heart disease cure, IE a drug."
]]>@Coles_Law: Snorting Cheerios will become the next big thing at parties. (Hit 'Enter" instead of 'preview')
]]>Great. Now teenagers across the country are going to be swiping Cheerios from their parents' pantry.
]]>Oh, I have no other immediate response than giddy laughter.
FDA + FTC, heart you.
]]>Yeah, I got the money.
Show me the Cheerios first.
]]>I'm glad to see this. Usually I'm not for the govt stepping in and telling us what we can and can't do and such... But lately companies have just been going overboard with their advertising and I think the govt needs to step in and tame this crap down.
You have this example right here, and I personally think food places should be held for their advertising as well.
]]>If I was worried about my health, I wouldn't be eating boxed cereal anyway.
]]>I eat a packet of instant oatmeal everyday for breakfast (and have a habit of eating Walmart-brand honey nut Cheerios as a snack at home) and my cholesterol is so low it's barely even on the chart at all. My doc is really happy about that.
Then again, I'm 25 and not 49 like my old man.
]]>Also, you may experience some asthma, chest pains, and sudden lack of breathing.
Cheerio!
]]>@Canino: "Side" Effects. Ugh.
]]>Kids, in every box you'll get a prize...one of 10 Authentic Drug Reactions and Site Effects Data Sheets! Approved by the FDA! COLLECT THEM ALL!
]]>I'm not sure if I should comment on General Mills here for their absurd marketing claims, or th FDA for their absurd demands.
]]>