Drugs for Breakfast

Apparently the FDA thinks that 1 in 8 Americans who eat cereal are taking drugs along with their cereal. General Mills claims that 1 of 8 boxes of cereal sold are Cheerios. The FDA claims that General Mills, via the labels on the box of Cheerios, is making claims that you'd usually see on a drug. The claims are

• "you can Lower Your Cholesterol 4% in 6 weeks"
• "Did you know that in just 6 weeks Cheerios can reduce bad cholesterol by an average of 4 percent? Cheerios is ... clinically proven to lower cholesterol. A clinical study showed that eating two 1 1/2 cup servings daily of Cheerios cereal reduced bad cholesterol when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol."

In the FDA's view General Mills is claiming that the cereal is for use in lowering cholesterol and it has not been approved for such treatment. Will General Mills take Cheerios off the shelf or, much more likely, they'll come to an agreement with the FDA.