With FDA strong-arming, Hylands recalls homeopathic teething products

[WhiteTara]

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/04/hylands-finally-recalls-homeopathic-products-linked-to-baby-sicknesses-death/

Hyland’s, one of the country’s leading makers of homeopathic products, is finally bowing to pressure from the Food and Drug Administration by recalling its infant teething tablets, which have been linked to severe illnesses and deaths of infants.

FDA confirms toxicity of homeopathic baby products; Maker refuses to recall [Updated]
The FDA has been investigating the issue for years and has received reports of more than 400 cases of infant illnesses, some involving seizures, fever, and vomiting, plus 10 infant deaths. In January, the agency confirmed that the tablets contained widely inconsistent levels of the toxic substance belladonna, aka deadly nightshade. Poisoning by belladonna produces symptoms in line with those reported in the sickened infants.

Further Reading
Tragic FDA reports of sick babies reveal toll of homeopathic products
Documents obtained by a Freedom of Information Act request revealed the heart-wrenching details of those cases. In one FDA report, a mother wrote, "My daughter had a seizure, lost consciousness, and stopped breathing about 30 minutes after I gave her three Hyland’s Teething Tablets... She had to receive mouth-to-mouth CPR to resume breathing and was brought to the hospital.”

Hyland's has yet to take responsibility or acknowledge the potential danger to its customers. In public statements, it has not expressed any concern for the affected infants, but it has lashed out at the FDA for casting the company in a bad light and causing "confusion" for customers.

It's about time!

[MarvinGardens]

1. Not to mention, homeopathic medicines don't work.

Homeopathy is based on the discredited belief that diluting a poison to a great degree will produce the opposite effect of the poison. Most are diluted in this way and thus are harmless placebos that do nothing.
Homeopathics were grandfathered in when drugs were first regulated in the U.S., and can be sold labeled as drugs. In the above story, it seems the proper dilution was not being used consistently.

Some folks confuse homeopathics with herbal medicines. Some herbal medicines do actually work, though they may not have been subjected to the rigorous controlled trials that drugs must undergo.

When my son was teething, I was annoyed to find that Oragel Natural teething gel had switched from an herbal formulation (clove oil), that we had used on my daughter with great success, to a homeopathic one. So I made my own formulation of clove oil dissolved in coconut oil. Use caution if you attempt this.