The FDA sent a stern-sounding letter to the makers of Cheerios.

Not happy with their claims of being clinically proven to lower cholesterol, MedPage Today reports that Cheerios, by making “unauthorized health claims,” is going to be treated as an “unapproved new drug.”

Pharma watchdog John Mack thinks the FDA is going overboard by targeting Cheerios, with rampant, false claims by herbal and alternative supplements going unchecked on the web.

Indeed, “a warning letter may have been overkill and that there is a problem when charlatans are free to claim cures with impunity ([with] nothing but ‘patient’ testimonials and bogus clinical trials that have not been reviewed by the FDA).”

Seems like the FDA’s priorities are a bit askew.