Cheerios is a New Drug claims the FDA.

Cheerios - The New Drug

When we say kids, we are talking particularly about those little tikes 2 and under. Yes, for the under 2 crowd, Cheerios are the newest “it” drug. Okay, before you start wondering if we have been hitting the Cheerios a little too hard ourselves, let’s clear some definitions up…

Cheerios is a Drug

Well, at least that is what our government decided on May5, 2009. It seems the FDA sent a warning letter to General Mills stating that due to the way they label the Cheerios, Cheerios is actually an unapproved new drug under FDA Act 505(a)!

The FDA is Strange

I wish there was a more poetic way to describe the FDA, but it is just flat out strange. As we have said before, we understand the FDA is trying to help consumers, but sometimes their actions seem to have an opposite effect.

I think most reasonable people can understand that Cheerios is a not a drug. We get that it is a bland cereal that kids like to drop all over the floor and then smash with their feet. Okay, so the box talks about how a diet high in fiber can help reduce your cholesterol – but isn’t this a good thing? Not in the eyes of the FDA.

FDA Believes Only Drugs Can Help People

In our boring (but necessary) post on What is a Dietary Supplement we talk about how the FDA considers any claim to help prevent, treat, diagnosis or cure a disease off limits for anything but drugs. So, when Cheerios starting talking about helping people reduce their Cholesterol, the FDA took notice and fired off a warning letter.

What is the Lesson Here for Manufacturers?

It is still not clear what, if any action, General Mills will take in response to this warning letter. Our concern is that the FDA will make manufacturers think twice before making any healthy foods. Why make a healthy cereal that may improve someones health if you just get into trouble with the FDA?

Again, we know the FDA is trying to help, but action like this just forces companies to go back to their old marketing tricks. It is probably easier to sell some high sugar cereal with crazy superhero animals on the front than Cheerios – but is that really better for all of us?