AAHP Encourages Clear and Open Communication on Teething Medicines Tragedies

In the interest of public safety, the American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists (AAHP) encourages the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to provide clear and open communication on their ongoing investigation of the safety of homeopathic teething medicine. Representing the manufacturers, distributors and marketers of homeopathic drugs, AAHP secretary Eric Foxman said industry leaders were surprised and saddened to learn of the tragedies reported by news media.

“We are extremely concerned to read about these events, and we express our deepest sympathies to the parents and all those affected” said Foxman. Foxman has been conferring with company heads since a spokesperson for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided the number of cases in the agency’s ongoing investigation to media on Oct. 12. “We are committed to helping the FDA accurately determine if these terrible incidents could be related to homeopathic medicines.”

A thorough investigation is vital to provide answers necessary to safeguard the public. Given the wide margin of safety provided by the very preparation of homeopathic medicines, it is especially important to understand the causes of 10 unexplained deaths. Manufacturers of homeopathic medicines are required to report serious adverse events to the FDA. The industry is hoping to receive more information regarding the source of the cases that prompted the FDA’s public warning in a Sept. 30 press release.

Last year, the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) re-examined serious cases among a total of 101,851 exposures to homeopathic agents between 2005 and 2014. The AAPCC’s Fatality Review Team, comprised of medical and clinical toxicologists, concluded that homeopathic products were clearly not responsible for any fatalities.

“The homeopathic industry prides itself on providing low-risk choices for consumers. We want to make sure we serve the health needs of the American public the best we can,” says Foxman.

For more information about homeopathic medicines or AAHP, visit theaahp.org.