Alliance Scientific Advisor Pens Letter Correcting Key Scientific Inaccuracies From Media Op/Ed
LOS ANGELES, CA - July 1, 2025 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - 7-HOPE Alliance (“7-HOPE”), a nonprofit public education and advocacy group dedicated to responsible access to 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), today issued the following letter from Scientific Advisor Dr. Michele Ross in response to former CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield’s recent opinion article published in The Hill.
Dr. Redfield’s op-ed unfoundedly equated 7-OH with synthetic opioids, alleged it poses “legal morphine-level” risks, and called for immediate enforcement action by the FDA and HHS. While his concern for public safety is genuine, it is also clear that Dr. Redfield was misinformed, likely by commercial actors with a vested interest in removing 7-OH from the market.
The following letter, written by Dr. Michele Ross and originally submitted as a Letter to the Editor with no response from the publication, directly addresses the scientific, regulatory, and policy inaccuracies in the op-ed.
“As a neuroscientist who has spent nearly two decades researching addiction and working with chronic pain patients, I share Dr. Redfield’s concern about emerging drug trends. But his recent warning about 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, paints an inaccurate and potentially harmful picture of a compound that many Americans are using to stay off far more dangerous substances.
Most concerning is the claim that 7-OH is a “synthetic opioid.” That label is scientifically inaccurate. 7-OH is a naturally occurring compound found in the kratom plant and is also produced in significant quantities inside the human body after consuming kratom leaf. When product manufacturers produce 7-OH outside the body, they are not creating a novel or lab-invented drug. They are mimicking the body’s own metabolic process using heat and oxygen, a method no different from how other botanical extracts are refined or stabilized for dietary supplements. To call this synthetic is not only misleading, it falsely associates 7-OH with fentanyl-class opioids and risks misinforming both lawmakers and the public.
Published studies show that 7-OH acts as a partial agonist at opioid receptors, unlike fentanyl, a full opioid agonist. 7-OH has a ceiling effect on euphoria which makes it more similar to the opioid use disorder treatment buprenorphine than fentanyl. Unlike traditional opioids, it does not activate the beta-arrestin 2 pathway strongly associated with respiration depression, overdose, and death. Multiple rodent studies have attempted to find a lethal dose for 7-OH and failed – that alone separates it from the synthetic opioids devastating our communities.
Dr. Redfield suggests that 7-OH poses an “unregulated pharmaceutical threat,” but this ignores the rigorous safety practices already in place among responsible manufacturers. 7-HOPE supports strict milligram-based serving limits and accurate labeling standards, not unlike those already applied to THC and CBD in regulated markets.
Dr. Redfield also references an FDA clinical trial on natural kratom leaf to suggest 7-OH products represent a “bait and switch.” But this misrepresents the research. That study evaluated natural kratom leaf in experienced users and found no serious adverse effects. What it also revealed is that kratom and its active metabolites, including 7-OH, show low abuse potential and may offer therapeutic benefits. Rather than contradict the utility of 7-OH, this research supports continued exploration of its properties, especially as a harm reduction tool.
Further, the suggestion that federal agencies must act immediately to issue “import alerts” and “classify 7-OH as an unapproved drug” is premature and reckless. Research on 7-OH is ongoing, and early findings show promise. HHS has already rejected scheduling kratom and its components once, citing the risk of immediate harm to users if access is cut off. That decision still holds today. We do not ban nicotine or even alcohol because they carry risks. We regulate them. The same approach should be applied here.
What Dr. Redfield’s op-ed leaves out entirely is the human impact of a ban on 7-OH. Millions rely on 7-OH to manage pain, reduce alcohol use, or avoid relapse from other deadly synthetics. These are not hypothetical users. I have heard from consumers, veterans, and parents who credit this compound with helping them get their lives back. When people are desperate to avoid fentanyl or oxycodone but have few options, removing one of the few effective, low-toxicity alternatives is not harm reduction, it’s cruelty.
Yes, 7-OH should be researched further and regulated, but as we know from repeated history,bans or broad mischaracterizations will not make people safer. They will push individuals back toward illicit markets and high-risk alternatives. If we are serious about harm reduction, we must let science, not stigma, lead the way.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dr. Michele Ross, PhD, MBA
Scientific Advisor, 7-HOPE Alliance
Author of Kratom is Medicine
7-HOPE urges lawmakers, regulators, and the media to engage with the science and lived experiences of the people who use 7-OH safely every day. We remain committed to supporting ongoing research, promoting responsible regulation, and ensuring this compound remains accessible to those who rely on it for pain relief, recovery, and stability.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.7hopealliance.org.
About 7-HOPE Alliance
7-HOPE Alliance (7-Hydroxy Outreach for Public Education) is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3) pending) dedicated to advancing public education, user support, and policy advocacy around 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a naturally occurring alkaloid in the kratom plant. Through a foundation of science, storytelling, and community, 7-HOPE empowers individuals, healthcare professionals, and policymakers with accurate, balanced information on 7-OH and its role in harm reduction, natural wellness, and safe, legal access to alternatives. The organization’s mission centers on four pillars: science, education, advocacy, and user support. By confronting misinformation, promoting responsible use, and providing uplifting real-life testimonials, 7-HOPE aims to ensure 7-OH remains available to the many individuals who find it to be a safe and effective alternative to dangerous painkillers and illegal drugs. For more information or to get involved, visit www.7hopealliance.org
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