The Battle to Legalize Cheerios

On Cheerios®  packaging, General Mills claims that Cheerios is "clinically proven to lower cholesterol." 

The FDA is saying that there's plenty wrong with that statement and other health claims on the Cheerios® box.  The FDA has issued a warning letter the cereal company General Mills, saying that it has "determined that [your] Cheerios® Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug because the product is intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease."

That's right, the FDA is saying that Cheerios being sold as a drug -- specifially, an unauthorized new drug!

The FDA wants General Mills to change the claims on the Cheerios® box.  Failure to do so may result in "enforcement action" including seizure of products by the FDA.

The FDA also posts responses to their warning letters on their website, so I'm sure there will be more of this to come.