Author Topic: Hey FDA, Poop Is Not a Drug (Read 3605 times)

roo_ster · « **on:** February 21, 2014, 11:59:09 AM »

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2014/02/19/hey-fda-poop-is-not-a-drug/

Quote

Imagine if in the 1960s surgeons like Christiaan Barnard or Norman Shumway had had to use the same rules that govern the development and testing of pharmaceutical medications when they were teaching the rest of the world how to transplant hearts from the recently deceased into their patients. The idea is absurd on the face of it. For starters, hearts do not come in standard sizes. Nor do all transplanted organs have the same “shelf life” the way different lots of properly manufactured drugs do.

So why does the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulate fecal transplants the same way that it does medications?

Because there are no consequences to the FDA or its personnel for doing so.

fifth_column · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2014, 01:37:24 PM »

I haven't read the article yet, but I will.

First, I just wanted to say WTF is a "fecal transplant?"

Sounds like some kind of . . . actually I don't even want to say what it sounds like . . .

fifth_column · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2014, 01:51:32 PM »

Well, it turns out a "fecal transplant" is exactly what it sounds like it would be.

On the other hand, I wonder if I could sell the medical community some of my good, healthy, grade-A poop.

Talk about a renewable resource!

Jocassee · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2014, 02:41:03 PM »

I'm guessing to get digestive tract bacteria jumpstarted after a procedure?

makattak · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2014, 02:58:25 PM »

Quote from: Jocassee on February 21, 2014, 02:41:03 PM

I'm guessing to get digestive tract bacteria jumpstarted after a procedure?

Not only that, but to deal with individuals who have poor bacterial composition in their intestines. I'm not fully versed in the.... err... procedure, but I recall reading it can help deal with things like Crohn's disease (which can cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome.)

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2014, 03:39:59 PM »

And its not new. Older than some of you

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

Tallpine · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2014, 03:50:01 PM »

Foals eat their mama's droppings to get the system started.

Balog · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2014, 04:41:07 PM »

Huh, I had never heard of such a thing. I'll chalk this up as my "new thing learned" for today.

lee n. field · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2014, 06:18:27 PM »

Quote from: fifth_column on February 21, 2014, 01:51:32 PM

Well, it turns out a "fecal transplant" is exactly what it sounds like it would be.

On the other hand, I wonder if I could sell the medical community some of my good, healthy, grade-A poop.

Ned!

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2014, 08:53:17 PM »

We had a discussion about this a couple of years or so ago but I don't remember which forum it might have been in.

roo_ster · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2014, 10:02:57 PM »

Quote from: RoadKingLarry on February 21, 2014, 08:53:17 PM

We had a discussion about this a couple of years or so ago but I don't remember which forum it might have been in.

Well, the smelly little secret is that the FDA wants to regulate it like a drug. Last time we were like fifth_column above, trying to wrap our heads around the procedure.

Azrael256 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2014, 11:13:29 PM »

Quote from: Roo_ster on February 21, 2014, 10:02:57 PM

Last time we were like fifth_column above, trying to wrap our heads around the procedure.

If you're using your head, you're doing it wrong.

This could be a lucrative new business. Forget Ned, somebody call GigaBuist!

Doggy Daddy · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2014, 07:22:21 PM »

Quote from: Azrael256 on February 21, 2014, 11:13:29 PM

If you're using your head, you're doing it wrong.

This could be a lucrative new business. Forget Ned, somebody call GigaBuist!

It could become another family enterprise.

lupinus · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2014, 07:32:35 PM »

Quote from: Doggy Daddy on February 22, 2014, 07:22:21 PM

It could become another family enterprise.

Sounds like a crap shoot.

Tallpine · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2014, 07:47:16 PM »

Do I even want to know the means of putting this "drug" into the body

lupinus · « **Reply #15 on:** February 22, 2014, 07:59:07 PM »

Quote from: Tallpine on February 22, 2014, 07:47:16 PM

Do I even want to know the means of putting this "drug" into the body

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal_bacteriotherapy#Procedure

Tallpine · « **Reply #16 on:** February 22, 2014, 08:03:35 PM »

Quote from: lupinus on February 22, 2014, 07:59:07 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal_bacteriotherapy#Procedure

Take this poop and shove it ....

lee n. field · « **Reply #17 on:** February 22, 2014, 08:58:22 PM »

It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it.

Tallpine · « **Reply #18 on:** February 22, 2014, 10:17:15 PM »

The reason why I'm late for work is that I stopped by the Brown Cross and donated poop.

lupinus · « **Reply #19 on:** February 22, 2014, 10:55:18 PM »

Quote from: Tallpine on February 22, 2014, 10:17:15 PM

The reason why I'm late for work is that I stopped by the Brown Cross and donated poop.

Did they have padded stools in the waiting room?

roo_ster · « **Reply #20 on:** February 23, 2014, 06:32:13 AM »

Quote from: lupinus on February 22, 2014, 10:55:18 PM

Did they have padded stools in the waiting room?

No but they give you a high fiber snack bar afterwards.

230RN · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2014, 07:59:33 AM »

Izzat why dogs often eat poop (coprophagia)?

Bacterial replacement?

I was told it was to replace salts & minerals & such, but I didn't believe that at the time.

bluestarlizzard, can you speak to this?

dogmush · « **Reply #22 on:** February 23, 2014, 11:22:02 AM »

It's because dogs eat ~~anything~~ everything. They don't have an instinctual poo bacteria sensor.

Firethorn · « **Reply #23 on:** February 23, 2014, 10:43:44 PM »

Quote from: 230RN on February 23, 2014, 07:59:33 AM

Izzat why dogs often eat poop (coprophagia)?

Not really, it's more that some animals, dogs included depending on diet, don't fully digest everything with only one pass through the digestive tract. If their noses tell them there's sufficient protein(and/or other nutrients) remaining in the fecal matter.... Rabbits are notorious for this.

It's also why you can often solve the problem by changing their dog food to one that's easier to digest. Unless there's other behavioral issues if the dog's already getting all the nutrients out the first time they won't eat it for a second pass.

Sergeant Bob · « **Reply #24 on:** February 24, 2014, 10:23:29 PM »

Quote from: Firethorn on February 23, 2014, 10:43:44 PM

Not really, it's more that some animals, dogs included depending on diet, don't fully digest everything with only one pass through the digestive tract. If their noses tell them there's sufficient protein(and/or other nutrients) remaining in the fecal matter.... Rabbits are notorious for this.

It's also why you can often solve the problem by changing their dog food to one that's easier to digest. Unless there's other behavioral issues if the dog's already getting all the nutrients out the first time they won't eat it for a second pass.

My puppies believe rabbits do not sufficiently digest the nutrients in their food...

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Author Topic: Hey FDA, Poop Is Not a Drug (Read 3605 times)