The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Archive for the 'Consumer Alert' Category

    Consumer Alert: Miracle Mineral Supplement aka MMS

    Monday, July 11th, 2016

    This product, when used as directed, produces an industrial bleach that can cause serious harm.

    Swallowing doses of this bleach, such as those recommended in the labeling can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and symptoms of severe dehydration. (more…)

    Contaminated and adulterated herbals

    Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

    Prof. Ernst and colleagues reviewed the evidence and they aren’t sanguine. (more…)

    Consumer alert: Reumofan Plus

    Monday, June 4th, 2012

    FDA is warning consumers that Reumofan Plus, marketed as a natural dietary supplement for pain relief and other serious conditions, contains several active pharmaceutical ingredients not listed on the label that could be harmful.

    Here’s what we know. (more…)

    Bath salts becoming illegal

    Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

    This has nothing to do with taking a bath.

    Researchers at the University of Florida College of Medicine, in Gainesville, tell us, “The abuse of psychoactive “bath salts” (PABS) has become commonplace, and patients with PABS overdoses are presenting to emergency departments with increasing frequency. (more…)

    Consumer Alert: “Bath Salts”

    Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

    Unlike traditional cosmetic bath salts, which are packaged and sold for adding to bath water for soaking and cleaning, drugs sold as “bath salts” have no legitimate use for bathing and are intended for substance abuse.

    Confused? (more…)

    Consumer Alert: “Koff & Kold” and “Kold Sore”

    Monday, February 13th, 2012

    The FDA tells us that Wholistic Herbs Inc. is recalling all of its “Koff & Kold” spray with herbal extract and “Kold Sore” spray with liquid sea mineral. (more…)

    Consumer Alert: RegenArouse

    Monday, February 13th, 2012

    According to the FDA, RegenArouse (Lot 130100) contains tadalafil (Cialis), an FDA-approved drug used as treatment for male erectile dysfunction, making this product an unapproved new drug. (more…)

    Safety of CAM in children

    Friday, February 10th, 2012

    Researchers at the Royal Children’s Hospital, in Melbourne, Australia, report the adverse events associated with the use of CAM that came to the attention of Australian pediatricians. (more…)

    Absorbability of arsenic and lead in traditional Ayurvedic medicines

    Monday, January 30th, 2012

    Researchers at the Royal Military College of Canada, tested 42 medicines. (more…)

    Resveratrol flawed science, and more

    Thursday, January 12th, 2012

    The University of Connecticut reports that Dr. Dipak Das falsified the results of some studies of resveratrol.

    But the CAM connection goes deeper. (more…)

    Caution when using a neti pot

    Monday, December 19th, 2011

     

    The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is warning residents about the dangers of the improper use of neti pots. (more…)

    Consumer Alert: FDA takes legal action against ATF Fitness Products Inc.

    Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

    This is the first time FDA has taken legal action against a dietary supplement manufacturer (ATF Fitness Products) of this size for failure to comply with the dietary supplement current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations. (more…)

    CAM: It might be “natural,” but is it safe?

    Sunday, November 13th, 2011

    Not always, according to this report from the Royal Children’s Hospital, in Melbourne, Australia. (more…)

    Side effects from herbals used as laxatives

    Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

    Researchers at the University of Rome, in Italy, report on adverse reactions associated with herbal laxatives reported to the Italian Medicines Agency and the Italian National Institute of Health over 9 years. (more…)

    Limited value of herbals to lower blood pressure

    Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

    Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, in New York, reviewed non-drug treatments.

    Let’s focus on herbals. (more…)

    The biggest problem with St. John’s wort

    Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

    st-johns-wortIt’s one of the most popular herbal supplements for treating depression. Dr. Perry Halushka from the Medical University of South Carolina has reviewed the scientific literature, including the many drug interactions associated with its use.

    But the biggest problem is the lack of standardization and reliability of the contents of commercially available brands of St. John’s wort. (more…)

    Risk of interactions between supplements and blood thinners

    Thursday, July 14th, 2011

    Dr. Jennifer Strohecker at the Intermountain Medical Center, in Salt Lake City, Utah, tells us the safety of warfarin (Coumadin) use can be compromised by many popular herbal and nonherbal supplements.

    Here’s what we know from her research. (more…)

    Consumer Alert: Pentrexyl Forte Natural

    Monday, May 23rd, 2011

    FDA has recalled Pentrexyl Forte Natural because the packaging is believed to be misleading — causing it to be confused with an antibiotic.

    (more…)

    Consumer Alert: Fraudulent STD treatments

    Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

    The FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today announced a joint effort to remove products from the market that make unproven claims to treat, cure, and prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

    Among the products targeted are Medavir, Herpaflor, Viruxo, C-Cure, and Never An Outbreak. (more…)

    FDA warns companies to stop making MRSA claims

    Thursday, April 21st, 2011

    FDA is warning companies to stop making MRSA claims.

    Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria can cause an infection that’s highly resistant to some antibiotics. MRSA cause infection after they enter the body through a cut or sore.

    The US Food and Drug Administration has issued 4 warning letters to companies that manufacture and market over-the-counter (OTC) drug products (including hand sanitizers) that claim to prevent infection by MRSA. (more…)