ProHealth Inc.
FDA issued a warning letter to ProHealth Inc. (Carpinteria, CA, United States) on Feb 18, 2021, citing 21 CFR 201.5. Subject: New Drug, Misbranded.
From the letter: “Your Full Spectrum™ St. John's Wort Extract product is not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced uses and, therefore, this product is a “new drug” under section 201(p) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(p)].”
FDA published a close-out letter on Jul 21, 2021. The findings below are from the original warning letter.
At a glance
What a reviewer notes before reading: findings, citations, the response deadline and what the letter warns of.
- Violations
- 2 findings · 1 issue type
- Cited
- 21 CFR 201.5
- Response due
- 15 working days after receipt of this letter
- FDA asks for
- 4 actions
- Named as possible actions
- Seizure, injunction
- Issued by
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
- Published status
- Close-out Jul 21, 2021
AI assisted findings
Model-assisted reading of each issue. Open one to see the FDA text it comes from, and check it against the full letter.
01Labeling, claims & marketingThe product is an unapproved new drug because it is intended for depression and anxiety treatment.
Your Full Spectrum™ St. John's Wort Extract product is not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced uses and, therefore, this product is a “new drug” under section 201(p) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(p)].
02Labeling, claims & marketing · 21 C.F.R. § 201.5The product is misbranded because it lacks adequate directions for lay use for disease treatment.
Accordingly, your Full Spectrum™ St. John's Wort Extract product fails to bear adequate directions for its intended use and, therefore, the product is misbranded under section 502(f)(1) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 352(f)(1)].
What FDA requested
- Notify FDA in writing, within fifteen working days of receipt of this letter, of the specific steps that you have taken to address these violations.
- Include an explanation of each step being taken to prevent the recurrence of violations, as well as copies of related documentation.
- If you believe that your products are not in violation of the Act, include your reasoning and any supporting information for our consideration.
- If you cannot complete addressing these violations within fifteen working days, state the reason for the delay and the time within which you will do so.
FDA Warning Letter
16 paragraphs · 1 sectionText as published on FDA.gov, retrieved Sep 8, 2026. Layout added for reading; the wording is FDA’s. View on FDA.gov (opens in a new tab)
1Letter text
11 paragraphs
This is to advise you that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed your website at the Internet address 36Twww.prohealth.com36T in December 2020 and has determined that you take orders there for your 41TFull Spectrum™ St. John's Wort Extract41T product. The claims on your website establish that your product is a drug under section 201(g)(1)(B) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) [21 U.S.C. § 321(g)(1)(B)] because it is intended for use in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease. As explained further below, introducing or delivering this product for introduction into interstate commerce violates the Act. You can find the Act and FDA regulations through links on FDA’s home page at 36Twww.fda.gov36T.
Examples of some of the website claims that provide evidence that your “41TFull Spectrum™ St. John's Wort Extract”41T is intended for use as a drug include:
On the webpage for “Full Spectrum™ St. John's Wort Extract”:
41T"Effective for mild to moderate depression" 19T41T
41T"Reduces anxiety"19T41T
Your Full Spectrum™ St. John's Wort Extract product is not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced uses and, therefore, this product is a “new drug” under section 201(p) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(p)]. With certain exceptions not applicable here, new drugs may not be legally introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce without prior approval from FDA, as described in sections 301(d) and 505(a) of the Act [21 U.S.C. §§ 331(d), 355(a)]. FDA approves a new drug on the basis of scientific data and information demonstrating that the drug is safe and effective.
A drug is misbranded under section 502(f)(1) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 352(f)(1)] if the drug fails to bear adequate directions for its intended use(s). “Adequate directions for use” means directions under which a layperson can use a drug safely and for the purposes for which it is intended (21 C.F.R. § 201.5). Prescription drugs, as defined in section 503(b)(1)(A) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 353(b)(1)(A)], can only be used safely at the direction, and under the supervision, of a licensed practitioner.
Your Full Spectrum™ St. John's Wort Extract product is intended for treatment of one or more diseases that are not amenable to self-diagnosis or treatment without the supervision of a licensed practitioner. Therefore, it is impossible to write adequate directions for a layperson to use your product safely for its intended purposes. Accordingly, your Full Spectrum™ St. John's Wort Extract product fails to bear adequate directions for its intended use and, therefore, the product is misbranded under section 502(f)(1) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 352(f)(1)]. The introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of these misbranded drugs violates section 301(a) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 331(a)].
The violations cited in this letter are not intended to be an all-inclusive statement of violations that exist in connection with your marketed products. You are responsible for investigating and determining the causes of any violations and for preventing their recurrence or the occurrence of other violations. It is your responsibility to ensure that your firm complies with all requirements of federal law, including FDA regulations.
You should take prompt action to address the violations cited in this letter. Failure to promptly address these violations may result in legal action without further notice, including, without limitation, seizure and injunction.
Please notify FDA in writing, within fifteen working days of receipt of this letter, of the specific steps that you have taken to address these violations. Include an explanation of each step being taken to prevent the recurrence of violations, as well as copies of related documentation. If you believe that your products are not in violation of the Act, include your reasoning and any supporting information for our consideration. If you cannot complete addressing these violations within fifteen working days, state the reason for the delay and the time within which you will do so. Your reply should be sent via e-mail to FDAAdvisory@fda.hhs.gov.
Citations and trends
Each 21 CFR section, ISO 13485 clause and issue type in this letter, how often it appears across all letters, and its trend by the year FDA issued the letters. 2026 runs to Nov 3, 2026, compared with the same dates last year. Select a row or a bar to see those letters in Letters. As cited in this historical letter, not a statement of current requirements.
Regulations
Issue types
Record details
- Issuing center
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
- Issuing office
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
- Location
- Carpinteria, CA, United States
- Letter posted date
- Feb 19, 2021
- Letter issue date
- Feb 18, 2021
- Addressed to
- Not recorded
- Inspection dates
- Not recorded
- Response window
- 15 working days after receipt of this letter
Read the source clause
Please notify FDA in writing, within fifteen working days of receipt of this letter, of the specific steps that you have taken to address these violations.
- Record length
- 686 words · 2 recorded redactions
- Published status
- Close-out published Jul 21, 2021
- Original letter
- View on FDA.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Dataset last checked
- Nov 11, 2026 · How this is built
A response window is not a calculated due date. Source excerpts are selected passages. Finding interpretations and categories are model-assisted. Verify the original letter before relying on a finding.