Americans for Homeopathy Choice Petitions FDA to Establish a Homeopathic Advisory Committee and Regulations

As readers of this blog may recall, last year, FDA issued a draft guidance describing how FDA would prioritize enforcement and regulatory actions regarding homeopathic drug products marketed in the United States. This new guidance document, once finalized, would replace the compliance policy guide, CPG 400.400, which had been in use for approximately three decades.

FDA’s new draft guidance was not well-received by the homeopathic community. Comments submitted show a concern about the loss of the CPG 400.400 which provided clear guidance about the manufacturing and marketing of homeopathic drug products. In contrast, the new guidance was considered vague and created uncertainty.

Concerned that the new guidance would reduce the access to homeopathic products, Americans for Homeopathy Choice submitted a Petition to FDA requesting that FDA convert the existing CPG to regulations and establish an advisory committee.

Americans for Homeopathy Choice is a non-profit advocacy organization that “exist[s] to ensure consumer access to homeopathic medicines that meet the standards for strength, quality, and purity set forth in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States.”  The organization previously met with FDA and submitted detailed comments to the draft guidance. Their Petition is the organization’s response to FDA’s invitation for alternatives to its approach in the draft guidance.

The three main requests by the organization are 1.) Withdrawal of the 2017 draft guidance; 2.) the establishment of an advisory committee consisting of licensed or certified homeopathic practitioners and academicians and consumers of homeopathic medicines; and 3.) The establishment of regulations for homeopathic products by converting a slightly modified CPG. In the interim, the current version of the CPG would continue to be the guiding document.

Comments may be submitted through Jan. 28, 2019.