Wyeth Advocates Calcium/Colon Polyps Health Claims
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Wyeth Consumer Healthcare is one of several companies expressing an interest in health claims linking calcium to various disease states
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Wyeth Consumer Healthcare is one of several companies expressing an interest in health claims linking calcium to various disease states. In response to a qualified health claim petition asserting a relationship between calcium and various types of cancer, Wyeth advocates the claims "Calcium may reduce the risk of recurrent colon polyps" or "Calcium may reduce the risk of recurrent colon polyps, a major risk factor for colon cancer." "Since adenomas are so common in the U.S. population, recommending calcium provides the public with a simple, safe and inexpensive method to help reduce their risk of developing recurrent polyps," the firm maintains. Wyeth markets the Caltrate line of calcium carbonate supplements to support colon health and strong bones. In support of the claims, Wyeth submitted "a review of the current guideline on colorectal polyps from the Digestive Diseases Societies...and expert opinions and assessments from four eminent scientists in the field of colon cancer prevention." In separate comments, Howard Heller, MD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, opposes any health claim linking calcium to kidney/urinary stones because data are inconclusive. Heller is "concerned that treatment of active kidney stone formers with calcium may exacerbate stone disease rather than ameliorate risk," he says in mid-May comments. Of importance is the fact that "the vast majority of kidney stones contain calcium." While data showing dietary calcium in the form of dairy products may prevent kidney stones "is still controversial, [information] concerning calcium supplements is even less convincing." There are no clinical trials comparing high doses of calcium to low doses, and it is reasonable to believe that higher calcium may cause unintended harm, he adds. Heller's comments echo similar statements made by another UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher who argued that support for Marine Bio USA's petition tying calcium to various cancers and kidney stones was insufficient (1 (Also see "Calcium/Kidney Stones Qualified Health Claim Unsupported – Researcher" - Pink Sheet, 10 May, 2004.), p. 18). |