U.S. Senator Charles Schumer has urged FDA to ban dietary supplements that contain the powerful stimulant BMPEA, often labeled as Acacia rigidula, a plant whose extract is used in natural botanical compounds.

“The FDA has all the proof it needs to exercise their authority and take these dietary and workout pills off store shelves, but consumers still know none of the risks,” said Senator Schumer. “The FDA’s report showing that widely used dietary supplements contain a hidden, hazardous chemical is jaw dropping. The FDA should ban these tainted supplements immediately and make sure the companies involved are held accountable.”

The Natural Products Association CEO and Executive Director Daniel Fabricant, PhD, said NPA “strongly believes that banning products containing BMPEA is an unrealistic way for the FDA to remove them from store shelves, and is a waste of the agency’s time and resources. The agency has several stronger and quicker tools it can rely on to go after products that it feels pose a threat to consumers, including mandatory recall authority and administrative detention.”

“What’s more, the FDA has the necessary expertise on staff to determine whether BMPEA is dangerous, and if and how it should be removed from the marketplace,” Dr. Fabricant continued. “While many have questioned whether BMPEA is a legitimate dietary ingredient, that decision is ultimately up to the FDA, and the agency can use its power to take action against companies that have not filed New Dietary Ingredient notifications. The FDA has always had full regulatory authority over dietary supplements, and protecting public health is at the forefront of its mission. NPA supports FDA exercising its full regulatory authority under the law if it finds valid safety concerns with certain products.”