Colloidal Silver

[Guest guest]

I've heard so many people mention the colloidal silver, that when I

saw something about it on the Consumer Reports website, along with a

mention to check the FDA web site for more information, I had to do a

little more checking.

According to the FDA, there is no evidence that shows that colloidal

silver will help anyone, and there is evidence that it can cause

something called argyria, a permanent blue-gray discoloration of the

skin and deep tissues.

Here is a link to one of the papers about colloidal silver. If you

do a search on the fda site for it, you'll learn even more about it.

Personally, there is no way that I'm going to use anything that

contains it at all.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00971.html

FDA ISSUES FINAL RULE ON

OTC DRUG PRODUCTS CONTAINING COLLOIDAL SILVER

The FDA has issued a Final Rule declaring that all over- the-counter

(OTC) drug products containing colloidal silver or silver salts are

not recognized as safe and effective and are misbranded.

Colloidal silver is a suspension of silver particles in a colloidal

(gelatinous) base. In recent years, colloidal silver preparations of

unknown formulation have been appearing in stores. These products are

labeled to treat adults and children for diseases including HIV,

AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, malaria, lupus, syphilis, scarlet fever,

shingles, herpes, pneumonia, typhoid, tetanus and many others.

According to the Final Rule, a colloidal silver product for any drug

use will first have to be approved by FDA under the new drug

application procedures. The Final rule classifies colloidal silver

products as misbranded because adequate directions cannot be written

so that the general public can use these drugs safely for their

intended purposes. They are also misbranded when their labeling

falsely suggests that there is substantial scientific evidence to

establish that the drugs are safe and effective for their intended

uses.

The indiscriminate use of colloidal silver solutions has resulted in

cases of argyria, a permanent blue-gray discoloration of the skin and

deep tissues.

Colloidal silver ingredients and silver salts include silver

proteins, mild silver protein, strong silver protein, silver

chloride, and silver iodide. The dosage form of these colloidal

silver products is usually oral, but product labeling also contains

directions for topical and, occasionally, intravenous use.

In reaching its decision, FDA considered all of the information

described in the proposed rule (October 15, 1996) and submitted by

the public in response to that proposal, the Final Rule becomes

effective on September 16, 1999, 30 days after publication.