Dietary Supplements and Mesothelioma Treatment

In the United States, all prescription and over-the-counter drugs are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and before these drugs can be legally marketed and sold, they must undergo testing in the clinical trial system to prove they are safe and effective.

Once a drug has been approved, it must meet strict manufacturing standards and the package insert must contain information on dose, schedule, known side effects, contraindications (conditions under which the drug would pose too much risk) and potential unsafe interactions with other drugs. Doctors are required to report any adverse effects experienced by patients who are taking drugs to the FDA.

Dietary supplements, on the other hand, are defined by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), as a category of food, therefore, they are not subject to the same regulations as drugs. Although they are not allowed to contain ingredients that carry a "significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury" when taken as directed, and the manufacturer must provide adequate proof to the FDA that any newly added ingredients are safe before they are marketed to the public, they are not tested in clinical trials. They are considered safe until proven otherwise.

Prior to December, 2007, supplement manufacturers were not required to report adverse effects to the FDA, so many serious events went unreported, however, in 2005 alone, nearly 24,000 calls were received by poison control centers across the U.S, related to the use of vitamins, herbs and botanicals. More than 200 of these calls had moderate to severe outcomes, and 13 deaths were reported. In all probability, these figures are low since many people who experienced adverse reactions most likely did not contact a poison control center. In short, supplements, like drugs, may have risks and side effects.

It is also possible that supplements may affect your traditional cancer treatment. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2004 suggested that of the top 15 herbal remedies sold in the U.S., nine posed a possible risk of negative interactions with specific anti-cancer drugs. It is also possible for certain botanicals to block or enhance the body's absorption of some prescription drugs, causing too much or too little of the drug in the bloodstream. If you are considering using any dietary supplement in conjunction with your mesothelioma treatment, be sure to discuss this with members of your medical team. Interactions between herbs and drugs, only some of which are documented, occur often enough and with serious enough consequences, that many cancer experts recommend that herbal remedies be avoided entirely. Do not take the word of a health store sales clerk, or anyone else who is not a qualified health care provider.

To receive a FREE Mesothelioma Web information packet** or to make a request, please fill out the following form :

**For a FREE information packet including treatments, clinical trials, and specialists, please complete the form above or call a Mesothelioma Web coordinator at 1-877-367-6376.

News

Resources

If you would like to receive a FREE information packet or have questions about mesothelioma, call us at:

Toll-Free 1-877-367-6376