In a surprise move, a Federal judge has overturned the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ban on ephedra, a weight loss dietary supplement that was purported to be mainly responsible for the death of Baseball pitcher Steve Bechler. In her ruling, Judge Tena Campbell said federal law “requires the FDA to prove that a dietary supplement is harmful, rather than having the manufacturer prove it is safe,..” as is required with drugs. A FDA spokesperson said that they were “evaluating the decision.”
Ephedrine,the active substance in ephedra is a stimulant that accelerates the heart rate and constricts blood vessels and is used for dramatic weight loss and also by bodybuilders.It has been associated with numerous deaths including that of Bechler who died after a training workout in Feb. 2003.It was banned a year ago and had already been banned by the International Olympic Committee, the NFL and the NCAA, but not by Major League Baseball. Related Sites.Theathlete.org
