The List Keeps Getting Longer…
The FDA list of fat loss supps adulterated with pharmaceuticals keeps growing. Initially, it was 28. Then it grew to 69…now it’s 72 – enough to trigger a new alert message.
On Dec. 22, 2008, the FDA warned consumers not to purchase or consume 28 different products marketed for weight loss. On Jan. 8, 2009, the FDA expanded the list of tainted weight loss products to include 41 additional tainted products. The FDA will continue to update this list as warranted.
The products listed above, some of which are marketed as dietary supplements, are promoted and sold on various Web sites and in some retail stores and beauty salons. Some of the products claim to be “natural” or to contain only “herbal” ingredients, but actually contain potentially harmful ingredients not listed on the products’ labels or in promotional advertisements. These products have not been approved by the FDA, are illegal, and include the following undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients:
- sibutramine (an appetite suppressant available by prescription only and a controlled substance)
- fenproporex – a controlled substance not approved for marketing in the United States;
- fluoxetine – an antidepressant available by prescription only;
- bumetanide – a potent diuretic available by prescription only;
- furosemide – a potent diuretic available by prescription only;
- rimonabant – a drug not approved for marketing in the United States;
- cetilistat – an experimental obesity drug not approved for marketing in the United States;
- phenytoin – an anti-seizure medication available by prescription only; and
- phenolphthalein – a solution used in chemical experiments and a suspected cancer-causing agent that is not approved for marketing in the United States.
The FDA has inspected a number of companies associated with the sale of these illegal products and is currently seeking product recalls. Based on the FDA’s inspections and the companies’ inadequate responses to recall requests, the FDA may take additional enforcement steps, such as issuing warning letters or initiating seizures, injunctions, or criminal charges.
