An unusual about-face that played out at the Food and Drug Administration over the last week illustrated the power of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement , particularly with its focus on “natural” drugs .

Last Thursday, the agency published a statement saying it had concerns about the safety and effectiveness of unapproved thyroid medications made from animal tissue after it received complaints from patients and reports of adverse events. As a result, the FDA said it had notified drugmakers of its “intent to take action” against the products, but added that it wouldn't do so immediately to give patients time to switch medications.

“The agency urges patients taking these unapproved animal-derived thyroid medications to treat hypothyroidism to talk to their doctor,” it wrote.

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