The FDA, Money, and Magic

Is it any surprise that the Food and Drug Administration has been at it again? This time, they’re targeting the natural family owned company, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. Over the summer, the FDA sent a warning letter to the company, regarding their product called Magic “All-One!” Fresh-Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil, and the claims made on the label.

The claims on the label read as follows:

“Clinical research confirms that the saturated medium chain fatty acids (MCT’s) in [Virgin Coconut Oil], such as lauric acid, actually improve blood cholesterol by increasing the ration of HDL to LDL cholesterol.”

In the letter, the FDA discusses the issue as being more than a simple case of mislabeling. Under section 201 (G) (1) (B) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the verbiage on the label classifies the product as an unapproved drug. The FDA warned that “[I]ntroducing or delivering this product for introduction into interstate commerce for such uses violates the Act.”

So exactly what is so magic about this coconut oil and the company that makes it?

Dr.Bronner’s soap has been family owned and operated for five generations, totaling over 150 years. The company’s founder dedicated his time and energy to uncovering the “Full Truths” of the world, researching various religions and philosophies. His findings are displayed on the company’s soap bottles in over 30,000 words. Throughout his research, he concluded two things: “We are all brothers and sisters and should take care of each other and our Spaceship Earth”; “Constructive Capitalism is where you share the profits with the workers and the Earth from which you made it!”

Overall, the family-owned company made it their mission to provide “socially and environmentally responsible products,” dedicating their profits to various causes they support. One of the most prominent causes the company advocates is the labeling of genetically modified organisms in products and foods. As all their products are non-GMO, this could be a leading factor in the reasons for the FDA’s attack on the company: Conflicting goals.

It’s no secret that the labeling of GMO products has been a hot topic in our nation for some time. On March 28th the FDA reiterated its stance on the issue, claiming that there is no need to label GM foods. The FDA Commissioner, Margaret Hamburg backed the administrations decision, saying “We have not seen evidence of safety risks associated with genetically modified foods.” Though the FDA supports voluntary labeling, it asserts that “the fact that a food contains GE ingredients does not constitute a material change in the product.”

In contrast to this belief, there is a huge population of natural food enthusiasts who have yet to be convinced that GM products and foods have no risks associated with them. The debate has led many to believe the FDA is only concerned with profits. By labeling certain foods as containing GM materials in the midst of the big debate, it could mean certain death for some of the largest companies in the nation (i.e. Kellogs), and result in bad news for FDA sponsors and supporters. In laymen’s terms: the FDA loses money.

Though this is the first time Dr. Bronner has been called out for their cause, this is not the first time the FDA has called out a company sharing the various and often widely accepted health benefits of their ingredients and products.

A similar situation arose with General Mills Inc., and its advertisements for Cheerios. We’ve all seen the commercials with the little kid and his grandpa sitting down to a healthy bowl of toasted whole grain Cheerios. The issue again was the health claims made by the company: “Cheerios can lower your cholesterol.”

So really, should it be this big of a deal to share health benefits with the public? The FDA asserts that in order to make these claims, the product must be approved by the administration based off of scientific data “submitted by a drug sponsor,” to officially demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the product. This means companies like Cheerio’s and Dr.Bronner must pay to have their products researched by an FDA approved sponsor. It seems this issue, like the GM labeling, all boils down to money.

For now, Dr.Bronner’s Magic Soap Company has removed the claims from their label, in compliance with the FDA’s request. However, this scandal has left Dr.Bronner’s dedicated customer base awaiting the next attack on the natural and health foods movement. Next thing we know, Hogwarts will be calling Dr.Bronner on the carpet for the unlawful use of magic.