Is the medicine Hyal joint advisable for knee osteoarthritis?

Q: My 44 years old male friend has been suffering from knee osteoarthritis for the last 9 years. He is taking different medications. Can he take Hyal Joint containing oral hyaluronic acid?

A:Hyal Joint is not an approved medicine by United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). This means that the manufacturer's claims on safety and efficacy of the product have not been scientifically and independently evaluated. It is not always safe to take unapproved medicines. If indeed there is benefit of such products, then the manufacturers should approach USFDA for clearance.