Dear Editorial Staff:
Dan Hurly presented a rather ominous analysis of supplement “poisonings” reported to the national poison center database. Having been involved in the design, implementation and use of this database for over 20 years, I was disheartened to see this misrepresentation of the dataset. Incidents represented in this database often represent “exposures” not “poisonings.” Frequently, these calls involve small children ingesting substances not intended for them, but in reality pose little or no risk and often result in no adverse consequence whatsoever yet are misinterpreted and depicted as “poisonings” by those unfamiliar with the data compilation. Conversely, when adverse effects do occur, they often involve over indulgence or overdose and, given aggregated tabulation methods utilized in the publicly available annual report, one cannot determine what adverse effects result from “overdose” vs. “routine use”, something Mr. Hurley apparently did not understand. His analysis misrepresents dietary supplement risk, is inaccurate and needs retraction.
Rick Kingston PharmD CSPI
SafetyCall International
President, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs
&
Clinical Professor
College of Pharmacy
University of Minnesota |