A small supplement company is challenging long-standing federal rules requiring evidence for health claims, potentially letting marketers make unverified medical promises.
Arthur Allen reports for KFF Health News.
In short:
- Xlear, maker of xylitol products, sued the FTC to prevent the agency from requiring proof for health claims, arguing consumers should decide what to believe.
- The lawsuit aligns with broader “medical freedom” and alternative health movements, which have gained influence under the current U.S. Health and Human Services leadership.
- Critics warn that if successful, the case could cripple federal enforcement, making it harder to protect consumers from bogus claims and risky products in a $70 billion supplement market.
Why this matters:
Relaxing rules around health claims could flood the market with unproven remedies, undermining evidence-based guidance for doctors, parents, and patients. Supplements already occupy a gray zone between food and medicine, and critics worry that a victory here could open the floodgates for unverified, potentially unsafe claims.
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