(Press-News.org) A combination of data from the FDA and two independent studies prompted a group of scientists to speak out on conversations surrounding 7-OH and its parent plant, kratom. The science confirms the strong safety profile of 7-OH and slams the door closed on continued efforts by industry competitors to push 7-OH out of the marketplace with public smears, unfounded science, and government overreach.
The Marwood Group recently completed an independent analysis of data from the FDA, CDC and other federal agencies that confirms 7-OH’s strong real-world safety profile. According to the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), there have been no confirmed deaths from 7-OH alone despite more than half a billion estimated doses consumed nationwide. Only five serious adverse events have been reported. Marwood’s review similarly found that while 7-OH was present in two deaths involving multiple substances, none were attributed directly to it. In contrast, more than 200 deaths were linked to kratom-related products. The analysis of data available suggests that 7-OH has a significantly lower risk profile and is being used more safely than many other natural compounds currently on the market.
“Businesses, consumers and regulatory decision makers deserve credible and accurate information about 7OH,” said Dr. Michele Ross, neuroscientist and addiction researcher. “As someone who is both a scientist and a chronic pain patient, I’ve seen firsthand how misinformation harms people looking for natural alternatives. The evidence we have so far, from both the independent studies and the FDA’s two databases, shows that 7OH has a very strong safety profile.”
Adding to the body of evidence, a new 2025 pilot study by East Tennessee Clinical Research gave dogs extremely high doses of 7-OH (up to 10 times the typical human dose). The results:
No cardiac, neurological, or behavioral harm
The only observed effect was mild, temporary drooling, even at the highest dose
All animals fully recovered with no lasting impact
In addition to the K-9 study, scientists also tested 7-OH and a related compound called MGP on different types of human cells, from the lungs, kidneys, and blood. Here’s what they found:
7-OH was not toxic to the cells, even at high doses.
It caused fewer problems with important systems in the body, like the heart and kidneys, compared to regular kratom (mitragynine).
Laboratory researchers have also taken note of 7-OH’s unusually wide therapeutic window. In controlled studies, it showed minimal toxicity even at doses far exceeding typical human use. Unlike many natural compounds, 7-OH maintained a strong safety profile, with no signs of cellular damage, cardiovascular issues, or DNA disruption. These findings support the call for evidence-based regulation that ensures safe access while encouraging continued research.
All 7-OH producers who are members of the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust (HART) are also taking proactive steps to protect consumers by following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), conducting third-party lab testing, and using child-resistant packaging with clear instructions. Independent testing confirms that these products consistently meet or exceed purity and labeling standards. As access to 7-OH has grown, national drug overdose deaths have begun to decline for the first time in years—a trend that researchers say may reflect shifting consumer behavior toward safer, plant-based wellness options.
Retailers report that consumer interest in 7-OH continues to grow, with many describing it as a reliable and trusted wellness supplement. Shoppers consistently return for the product, citing its effectiveness and clean sourcing. These buying patterns reflect growing public trust and satisfaction.
“The current data suggests that 7-OH has a strong safety profile and low toxicity in both lab and animal studies,” said Leonard Pickard, chemist and drug policy expert. “It shows promise as a well-tolerated, plant-derived compound. Rather than banning it, we should pursue thoughtful regulation that protects consumers while allowing continued research and access.”
“The science is clear, but some groups are trying to use fear and politics to take away an option that’s working. That’s not right,” said Jeff Smith, National Policy Director for the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust (HART). “Let’s be clear: that isn’t about safety—it’s about market control,” Jeff Smith said. “We have years of real-world data, we have independent studies, and we have agency reports that show 7-OH is being unfairly targeted because it threatens powerful interests.”
“This should be a conversation about regulation, not prohibition,” Smith added. “We’re not asking regulators to trust us—we’re asking them to trust the data. The public deserves science-based oversight, not corporate cronyism in the form of a ban designed to create a kratom monopoly.”
-30-
About HART:
The Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust (HART) is a national nonprofit organization advocating for science-based policy, regulatory transparency, and access to safe, plant-based alternatives to opioids and other pharmaceuticals. 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a metabolite of mitragynine, the most abundant alkaloid found in kratom, is a new tool being used to combat opioid misuse and improve public health. HART strongly supports robust regulation to mandate that all 7-OH products are manufactured safely, are marketed transparently, and are kept out of the hands of children. Learn more at hartsupporter.com
END
A study of the genetic basis of plague immunity in prairie dogs has broad implications for conservation. From white-nose syndrome in bats to avian malaria in Hawaiian birds, introduced pathogens are a major cause of population declines in native species. Many prairie dog populations in North America have been nearly wiped out by sylvatic plague, which is caused by the same bacteria that causes the Black Death in humans: Yersinia pestis. Loren Cassin-Sackett and colleagues studied an outbreak of plague in Boulder County, Colorado in 2006–2009 that hit the site of a long-term prairie dog ecology study. The authors trapped and sampled the ...
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (07/08/2025) — Should AI chatbots replace your therapist? New research says “no.”
The new study exposes the dangerous flaws in using artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for mental health support. For the first time, the researchers evaluated these AI systems against clinical standards for therapists.
The research, recently published and presented at the Association for Computing Machinery Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (ACM FAccT), was a multi-disciplinary collaboration including researchers at the Stanford Institute for ...
As prices rose across the globe following the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, many expected the usual pattern, i.e., low-income households bearing the brunt of inflation. But in South Korea, they observed something exactly opposite to the usual scenario.
A new study by Dr. Taiwon Ha from Pusan National University, South Korea, available online on 04 June 2025, in the journal Asian-Pacific Economic Literature shows that upper-middle-income households experienced a higher price increase than the poor, who were typically ...
Broiler chickens, bred for rapid growth, accumulate more fat under chronic heat stress, which reduces meat quality and production efficiency. In a recent study, researchers from Japan revealed that heat stress directly alters fat metabolism in adipose tissue, regulating genes that promote fat storage. Their findings suggest new strategies to mitigate heat stress-related losses in poultry production amidst global warming.
The world’s growing population relies heavily on poultry as a source of protein, making the health and productivity of chickens critical for global food security. ...
San Francisco — Personalized CRISPR cures for children born with rare genetic diseases are now a step closer to being more widely available. Today, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) announced the funding of the Center for Pediatric CRISPR Cures (Center). The Center will use CRISPR-based editing technology to advance cures for severe pediatric genetic diseases and will bridge CRISPR cure design and testing at the University of California, Berkeley ...
Liquid biopsies are tests that detect signs of cancer through a simple blood draw. Unlike traditional biopsies, which require removing a piece of tissue, a liquid biopsy typically looks for mutations or modification changes in fragments of DNA from cancer cells circulating in the blood. While liquid biopsies are a promising, non-invasive way to detect and monitor cancer as it progresses, they aren’t as sensitive or accurate for the early stages of disease.
Researchers at the University of Chicago have now developed a more sensitive liquid biopsy test that uses RNA instead of DNA for detecting cancer. Using blood samples from patients with colorectal cancer, the test was able to detect ...
On July 8, 2025, physicists from Aalto University in Finland published a transmon qubit coherence dramatically surpassing previous scientifically published records. The millisecond coherence measurement marks a quantum leap in computational technology, with the previous maximum echo coherence measurements approaching 0.6 milliseconds.
Longer qubit coherence allows for an extended window of time in which quantum computers can execute error-free operations, enabling more complex quantum computations and more quantum logic operations before errors occur. Not only does this allow for more calculations with noisy quantum computers, but it also decreases the resources needed for ...
The devastating floods that killed nearly 200 people in Germany four years ago this month could have been even more damaging, new research suggests.
The floods in July 2021 were among the worst disasters in German history. At least 196 people died in Germany, 43 people died in Belgium and the total damage to Central Europe amounted to €46 billion. The devastation of the floods was attributed to a climate change-driven shift in the jet stream that steered a huge storm that became “cut off” ...
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center researchers looked billions of years into the past to learn more about the potential future of precision medicine.
Led by first author Bibek R. Karki and senior author Tom Cunningham, new research published July 8 in the journal Nature Communications traced the evolutionary origins of the PRPS enzyme complex and learned more about how this complex functions and influences cellular biochemistry.
Study background
The researchers focused on one of nature’s most important and evolutionarily ...
Researchers have discovered a strategy to neutralise two highly lethal viruses for which there is currently no approved vaccine or cure.
A team led by Professor Daniel Watterson and Dr Ariel Isaacs at The University of Queensland has identified the first ever nanobody to work against Nipah and Hendra, henipaviruses which have jumped from animals to people in Asia and Australia.
“A nanobody is one-tenth the size of an antibody and being that small it can access hard-to-reach areas of a virus to block infection,” Dr Isaacs said.
“Nanobodies are also easier to produce and more stable at higher temperatures than traditional antibodies, so we are very excited about the potential ...
