Public Citizen Sues FDA Seeking Cesium Chloride Ban

Public Citizen 9/10 has filed suit in Washington, DC federal court against FDA over its inaction to respond to the group’s 7/2018 citizen petition urging a ban on all dietary supplements containing cesium chloride or other cesium salts from the market. Because its year-old petition has not been acted on, the complaint says such a delay violates the Administrative Procedure Act. Cesium compounds have long been used in dietary supplements and pharmacy compounding despite their links to life-threatening cardiovascular events, the group contends.

Last year, FDA placed cesium chloride in a category of substances that may not be compounded under interim FDA guidance and issued a health alert to medical professionals, Public Citizen says. On 9/5, FDA issued a proposed rule to make permanent the ban on cesium chloride in pharmacy compounding. “Nonetheless, cesium chloride remains available in dietary supplements,” the group says.