This letter was written by Dr. Maves from the AMA to Dr. Meyers, FNB:
October 8, 2008
Linda D. Meyers, PhD
Director
Food and Nutrition Board
Institute of Medicine
National Academy of Sciences
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington DC 20001
Dear Dr. Meyers:
On behalf of the physician and medical student members of the American Medical Association (AMA), I would like to encourage the Food and Nutrition Board to re-examine the Daily Reference Intake (DRI) values for vitamin D. Since 1997 when the DRIs for vitamin D were established, the literature on vitamin D and its association with various disease outcomes has greatly expanded. Many of these studies suggest that the current DRIs for vitamin D may be too low for most of the population, although there is conflicting data for some health outcomes.
Policy recently adopted by our House of Delegates supports a thorough review of this new literature on vitamin D and requests the expert guidance of the Food and Nutrition Board on the optimal intakes, including the tolerable upper levels, for vitamin D in light of recent research. Such guidance is critical for physicians and other health care providers to provide the best possible evidence-based health care.
The AMA commends the Food and Nutrition Board for its continuing efforts to provide the most authoritative recommendations on optimal nutrient intakes. Re-examination of the DRIs for vitamin D will help clarify the current state of knowledge regarding this essential nutrient.
Sincerely,
Michael D. Maves, MD, MBA