►December 30, 2003 - Chinese Herbalists Laud U.S. Exemption for Ephedra - Reuters -  "When U.S. regulators said they would ban the use of ephedra in weight-loss supplements on Tuesday they allowed an exemption for practitioners of Chinese medicine who have been using the herb for thousands of years to treat ailments ranging from asthma to fevers...Synthetic ephedra-based weight loss pills sold over the counter can be harmful when taken in large doses and by people who have heart ailments, high blood pressure and other health problems, the FDA said...But when taken properly under a health practitioners supervision, the herb -- also known as ma huang -- is good medicine, according to several trained Chinese herbalists."

►December 30, 2003 - U.S. Bans Dietary Supplement Linked to Number of Deaths (requires registration or subscription) - The New York Times