releases: https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-asks-retailers-to-voluntarily-pull-dietary-supplement-from-shelves-after-fda-fails-to-lift-a-finger
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-asks-retailers-to-voluntarily-pull-dietary-supplement-from-shelves-after-fda-fails-to-lift-a-finger | McCaskill Asks Retailers to Voluntarily Pull Dietary Supplement from Shelves After FDA Fails to ‘Lift a Finger’ | 2015-11-10 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | McCaskill Asks Retailers to Voluntarily Pull Dietary Supplement from Shelves After FDA Fails to Lift a Finger Senator: Its embarrassing that its come to this Tuesday, November 10, 2015 WASHINGTON After weeks of inaction by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill has called on ten retailers to voluntarily remove any dietary supplements containing picamilona substance independent studies and the FDA have all agreed does not occur in nature. Picamilon, an ingredient found in many dietary supplements in the United States, is currently classified as a prescription drug in several other countries. Independent scientists and the FDA agree that picamilon is not a dietary ingredient, but the FDAthe agency tasked with ensuring the safety of the things we consumehasnt lifted a finger to inform the public or taken any action to remove it from shelves, McCaskill said. So were at the point of relying on businesses to voluntarily take responsible steps to ensure public safety. Its embarrassing that its come to this. Last month, McCaskill twice wrote FDA Acting Administrator Stephen Ostroff to request that the FDA take appropriate action to suspend sales of any supplement containing picamilon. McCaskill also asked for any documents submitted to the FDA as a part of the New Dietary Ingredient notification process that confirm the ingredients safety, and for any cases in which picamilon had caused adverse events in consumers. In October, I requested that the FDA take appropriate steps to determine whether picamilon is appropriate for sale, and to remove it from store shelves if it is not. Despite my repeated requests, the FDA has failed to produce any response to my inquiry and remains silent on whether products containing picamilon should be recalled or removed from sale in dietary supplementsI request that you voluntarily remove any and all products containing picamilon that you may carry from your stores and from your website, McCaskills letter to retailers reads. The Oregon Attorney General recently filed a complaint against General Nutrition Corporation (GNC) alleging that GNC knowingly sold products containing picamilon and other substances that were not appropriate for inclusion in dietary supplements. In connection with the Oregon Attorney Generals investigation, the FDA submitted an affidavit stating that picamilon is not a dietary ingredient. A recent report reviewing products containing picamilon revealed that products on U.S. shelves routinely contain prescription-level doses of this ingredient. But because this ingredient is being sold as a dietary supplement and not a prescription drug it has not undergone the same level of scrutiny to understand its potential side effects or drug interactions. Earlier this year, McCaskill sent letters to 15 retailers inquiring about their policies concerning dietary supplements and what they do to prevent the sale of harmful or fraudulently marketed products in their stores and on their websites and shows. This inquiry was in response to the discovery of products like Brain Armor, which was recently removed from the Amazon website, that make false claims about their ability to enhance memory and treat dementia. As past Chairman of the Senates Consumer Protection Subcommittee, McCaskill held a hearing examining misleading and false claims made by makers of weight-loss products. A copy of McCaskills letters to retailers is available online HERE. Visit mccaskill.senate.gov/consumers to learn more about McCaskills fight to strengthen protections for American consumers. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |