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According to Gary Coody, R.Ph., FDA’s national health fraud coordinator, the agency has warned a number of companies that they are facing possible legal action if they continue to make false or misleading claims about products and therapies claiming to treat or cure autism. Some of these so-called therapies carry significant health risks and include:“Chelation Therapies.” These products claim to cleanse the body of toxic chemicals and heavy metals by binding to them and “removing” them from circulation. They come in a number of forms, including sprays, suppositories, capsules, liquid drops and clay baths. FDA-approved chelating agents are approved for specific uses, such as the treatment of lead poisoning and iron overload, and are available by prescription only. FDA-approved prescription chelation therapy products should only be used under medical supervision. Chelating important minerals needed by the body can lead to serious and life-threatening outcomes.Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. This involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber and has been cleared by FDA for certain medical uses, such as treating decompression sickness suffered by divers. It has not been cleared for autism, among other conditions.Miracle Mineral Solution. Also known as Miracle Mineral Supplement and MMS, this product becomes a potent chemical that‘s used as bleach when mixed according to package directions. FDA has received reports of consumers who say they experienced nausea, severe vomiting and life-threatening low blood pressure after drinking the MMS and citrus juice mixture.Detoxifying Clay Baths. Added to bath water, these products claim to draw out chemical toxins, pollutants and heavy metals from the body, falsely offering “dramatic improvement” for autism symptoms.CocoKefir probiotics products. Product claims include being a “major key” to recovery from autism, but they are not proven safe and effective for this advertised use.Coody offers some quick tips to help you identify false or misleading claims.Be suspicious of products that claim to treat a wide range of diseases.Personal testimonials are no substitute for scientific evidence.Few diseases or conditions can be treated quickly, so be suspicious of any therapy claimed as a “quick fix.”So-called “miracle cures,” which claim scientific breakthroughs and secret ingredients, may be a hoax.The bottom line is this—if it’s an unproven or little known treatment, talk to your health care professional before buying or using these products.

Los Angeles, CA – January 22, 2013 – L.A.-based House Research Institute and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given final approval to begin a clinical trial of an Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI) procedure for children. The trial is a surgical collaboration sponsored by the House Research Institute in partnership with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Vittorio Colletti, MD of the University of Verona Hospital, Verona, Italy.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the approval of the Esteem – an implanted hearing system used to treat moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss, a type of permanent hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is usually caused by genetic factors or damage to the inner ear resulting from noise, viral infections, or aging. The results are reductions in perception of sounds and in the ability to understand speech.

Since 2007, SAMHSA has promoted the improved wellness of people with behavioral health problems by engaging, educating, and training providers, consumers, and policy makers. SAMHSA partnered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Women’s Health (FDA/OWH) to disseminate wellness messages and motivate individuals and community organizations to take action through a Pledge for Wellness. Already, more than 3,000 national and community organizations are taking action for wellness.

Products called chelators that are sold over the counter as treatments for autism, heart disease and other conditions are dangerous and illegal, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned in a crackdown announced Thursday.

It has been six years since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug to treat patients with multiple sclerosis, but 2010 has been a drug bonanza for MS patients. In just 10 months, the FDA has approved a trifecta of drugs, giving many MS patients new hope and opportunities. Here's a snapshot of the FDA's actions:

After months of Americans being unable to fill their drug prescriptions for medications that are commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday that the shortages are expected to end this month.

A product promoted to parents of children with autism is not a harmless dietary supplement, as claimed, but a toxic unapproved drug that lacks adequate warnings about potential side effects, including hair loss and abnormalities of the pancreas, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned in a letter to its maker.