FDA warns of toxic substance in homeopathic teething products

Reuters (1/27, Grover) reported the Food and Drug Administration on Friday “said…it has found high amounts of” belladonna, a toxic substance, “in homeopathic teething tablets, warning of its potential risk to infants and children.” The FDA also stated that it has “asked Standard Homeopathic Co, the manufacturer of Hyland’s teething products, to recall its homeopathic teething tablets from the market,” but “the company did not agree.”
On its website, NBC News (1/27, Fox) reported that belladona “is an extract of the deadly nightshade plant,” has hallucinogenic properties, and “is highly toxic in large amounts.” According to FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Director Janet Woodcock, MD, “The body’s response to belladonna in children under 2 years of age is unpredictable and puts them at unnecessary risk. We recommend that parents and caregivers not give these homeopathic teething tablets to children and seek advice from their health care professional for safe alternatives.