Buildup to a Ban

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, becomes law.

JUNE 1997

The FDA proposes a regulation to require ephedra manufacturers to include a warning label recommending that consumers limit consumption to 24 milligrams per day for not more than seven consecutive days. Packages also would have to warn that "Taking more than the recommended serving may result in heart attack, stroke, seizure or death."

APRIL 1998

Metabolife's Michael Ellis sends a letter to the FDA saying his firm has "never received one notice from a consumer that any serious adverse health event has occurred because of the ingestion of Metabolife 356," its ephedra weight-loss product.

JULY 1999

GAO issues a report saying the FDA should collect more evidence before seeking to regulate ephedra.

FEBRUARY 2000

The FDA withdraws its proposed regulation.

AUGUST 2002

The Justice Department launches an investigation into Ellis' 1998 letter. Metabolife turns over nearly 15,000 adverse event reports collected from consumers.

FEBRUARY 2003

Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Steve Bechler dies of heatstroke at age 23 after taking Xenadrine RFA-1, a supplement containing ephedra.

RAND reports 20 events in which ephedra appears to have caused serious side effects, including death.

The FDA reopens its 1997 proposed regulation for more public comment.

DECEMBER 2003

FDA announces that it is proposing to ban ephedra herbal supplements and opens its proposal to public comment.