FDA's Proposed Gluten Free Guidlines

In one of my various Celiac newsletters I came across the FDA's proposed Gluten free Guidelines and Questions and Answers.

I myself am a bit shocked that oats were not included on the "forbidden grain" list because so many of them have been cross contaminated and the jury is still out on if their protein is close enough to gluten to cause damage.

Upon further reading I am unsure if they are referring to all oats or just gluten free oats. Something that in my opinion needs to be clarified.

I was sadly disappointed that this proposal mentions nothing about labeling gluten in drugs. As stated in a previous post I had to get my daughters antibiotics compounded because the Name Brand and Generic both had gluten in them. (I know I know it was labeled) But there have been a number of other times that I have taken an OTC drug to the pharmacist to ask if it was gluten free and received the answer "Unless it says wheat, barley, rye, or gluten" in the active or inactive ingredients we have no way of knowing.

It pains me to say but if someone had a toddler who was just diagnosed with Celiac disease and needed a decongestant on a Sunday morning. The would know what we as moms go through. Especially when we find out the one medicine we know is gluten free is being reformulated and isn't on shelves anymore. Then the battle how bad is the medicine needed.. bad enough to possibly gluten her or not. Until one of them has actually sat on the floor of a drugstore crying because it shouldn't be this hard to keep your child healthy, I don't think we'll ever have a great system for gluten free labeling.

To make comments on the FDA's proposal you must submit them in writing by APRIL 23,2007 to:

Division of Dockets Management
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fischers Lane Room 1061 (HFA-305)
Rockville, MD 20852