FDA steps in it: Classifies poop as a drug and restricts fecal transplants

Back in March we did a Monday Musing post called “Would you take this crap if your life depended on it?”  about how “poop transplants” are an effective way to treat people with a type of intestinal bacteria infection.

Basically researchers transplant fecal matter from healthy people into the colons of people infected with the notoriously hard-to-treat Clostridium difficile (klos-TRID-e-uhm dif-uh-SEEL) bacteria (a.k.a. C. diff), which causes severe, watery diarrhea. They found that 46 out of 49 patients got better within a week of the enema treatment (a.k.a. Fecal Microbiata Transplant or FMT.)

Well … according to Health Impact News, the FDA has literally stepped in and has now declared fecal matter as a “drug.” And, since it is a drug they have not approved, it’s now officially in Phase 1 of the drug research and approval process, a process that can take many years.

In a letter from the FDA to the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), FDA stated that FMT is not to be used by physicians, other than in life saving situations subject to a formal IND (Investigational New Drug) application.

Health Impact News writes…

“So why would the FDA make the ridiculous claim that someone’s healthy poop is a drug, and start regulating a safe therapy that has saved so many lives, cured so many with bowel diseases, and has virtually no recorded adverse effects? It is far more effective and far more safe than drugs used for the same conditions!  … While doctors, published research, and home users have already successfully used FMT therapy with miraculous results, our government agencies are spending our tax dollars to restrict this simple and inexpensive therapy so that drug companies can develop patented and profitable drugs instead.”

Yes … the thought of taking someone else’s poop has an “ick” factor and many people have probably never even considered (or are aware of) FMT. But now many sufferers will have to live with the uncomfortable and excruciating pain of bowel diseases or take prescription drugs with potential side effects since the FDA is restricting FMT therapy.

Read the full article on Health Impact News  and learn more about about poop transplants at MyHealthNewsDaily.com and LiveScience.com