NPA Says FDA Probiotic Product Warning Was “Unwarranted”

An organization representing the natural products industry said a recent FDA warning about the risk of fungal disease from certain probiotic supplements in people with compromised immune systems was misleading and not necessary. The Natural Products Association said FDA did not make clear that the problem arose from a “single lot from a single product” in the live bacteria/yeast category, and was not an industrywide threat. The NPA said such products – indeed all dietary supplements -- should not be taken by immunocomprised individuals. The group also noted that the product in question was administered in a clinical setting, and was not distributed to millions of consumers, so the warning was “unwarranted”.