Bioidentical hormones and FDA approval by: George Parigian Jr.
Hi Tammy,
This is a good question. There are several factors involved. The term bioidentical covers a number of products, which are claimed to be identical to the hormones, which your own body makes on a molecular level.
There are bioidentical hormone products that ARE approved by the FDA, and some which are not. There is a link to my page on bioidentical hormones at the bottom of my hormonal balance page, above the comment form.
Some of these products are compounded by special pharmacies and available online. Many if not most traditional doctors will not prescribe these products because they have been convinced by the pharmaceutical industry and the medical establishment that they are dangerous and offer no benefits over more traditional approaches.
In fact Wyeth Pharmaceuticals who are the subject of a class action lawsuit over their synthetic estrogen products, tried to get the FDA to ban bioidentical estrogens made by compounding pharmacies.
Wyeth initiated a "citizens petition" to get the FDA act against compounding pharmacies claiming that these bioidentical estrogens are dangerous.
(How giant pharmaceutical companies can be considered ?citizens? is another question altogether?)
Coincidentally, Wyeth is losing millions of dollars in business because women are choosing bioidentical hormones over traditional hormone therapy. I doubt it is coincidence that Wyeth wants to see competing products removed from the market.
It is a sad but accurate fact that all too often the FDA acts to protect the interests of large pharmaceutical companies instead of the interests of consumers, (which they are supposed to protect)
However, more and more MD's are open to these alternative forms of hormone treatment, because they are becoming aware that the traditional hormone therapies are not safe in the long term.
They are looking for safer and thus better performing products and therapies for their patients.
Thus I would urge you to read all you can about this subject, and seek out an antiaging physician who is board certified in antiaging medicine to advise you regarding bioidentical hormones and determine a safe and effective course of treatment for any hormonal problems you may have.