FDA targets companies that sell "dangerous" drug to treat autism

By Staff Writer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent warning letters to several companies that sell chemicals to treat autism, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The FDA recently accused seven companies and one nutritionist of violating federal law by selling chelators without the agency's approval. The organizations have allegedly been marketing the chemical compound as a remedy for autism and cardiovascular disease.

A Tribune investigation last year found that chelation treatment, which helps remove metals from the body, had become popular among parents who had autistic children. Some distributors of the drug have claimed that autistic children suffer from heavy metal poisoning, the news provider reports.

FDA officials say that chelation "can be dangerous and can cause serious harm."

"The FDA must take a firm stand against companies who prey on the vulnerability of patients seeking hope and relief," said Deborah Autor, director of the Office of Compliance in the agency's drug evaluation and research department.

A pharmacist based in California defended the controversial treatment, saying that the FDA-approved drugs cause many more problems than over-the-counter chelators.

According to court records, a 5-year-old with autism suffered a heart attack and died while being intravenously chelated in 2005, the news source reports.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that an average of one in 110 children in the U.S. have autism.