If you missed it last night, do yourself a favor and scour your TV schedule for the next airing of this broadcast, or seek it out online. What you'll find is an exposé on an important public health issue that's finally getting the serious attention it deserves: national TV coverage from a credible news outlet.
"Supplements and Safety" an investigative report exposing the dangerous dietary supplement industry for what it really is aired last night on PBS. And the issue is a timely one.
While a large part of the public wrongly perceives nutritional supplements as natural and safe alternatives to prescription drugs, many are unaware of their hidden and oftentimes lethal dangers.
This terrible situation started when federal legislation, known by the initials DSHEA, passed back in 1994. If you haven t heard of it, DSHEA stands for the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. The policy was designed to clarify regulations regarding the manufacture and sale of dietary supplements, and strengthen oversight of marketed products. But it s actually done the opposite.
Since its inception, contamination among manufacturers, sickness and even death among consumers has ensued, leaving the FDA an organization with already too few resources to clean up its mess. Which to date, it hasn't done very well, and that's an understatement.
This multi-billion dollar industry has been bilking consumers for years, while causing untold pain and suffering, and the national coverage is welcome scrutiny of this important topic. The fact that it's now garnered attention of mainstream national media has raised the prospects that the issue will be taken seriously in Congress, and it gives more hope that reform will soon be on the way.
But not without your help. So, what can you do to support the cause? After watching the broadcast, email your local congressman demanding that the DSHEA be reworked or repealed. And most importantly stay away from the purchase of dietary nutritional supplements. That s right. Stop. Buying. Them.
"Supplements and Safety" is a collaborative production effort from PBS, The New York Times and the Canadian Broadcasting Company. As they say, check local listings for the next airing of this important topic.