Manufacturer Issues Voluntary Drug Recall Due Undeclared Ingredients in Weight Loss Supplement

Supplement distributor Bacai has issued a voluntary drug recall for its weight loss supplement, LiteFit, due to undeclared drugs.

The FDA stated that tests on LiteFit showed a substance that the administration banned in 2010 because it poses a serious health threat.

Sibutramine was used as a weight loss drug until the FDA banned it because the substance increased blood pressure and/or pulse rate, which can cause serious side effects for people with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, or stroke. This product may also interact, in life-threatening ways, with other medications a consumer may be taking.

Phenolphthalein is not an active ingredient in any approved drugs in the US, according to the FDA, and studies indicate that it can increase cancer risk.

“Products that contain hidden drugs pose a real danger to consumers,” Carol Bennett, acting director of the Office of Compliance in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said. “This is especially true when the products have names that mislead consumers into believing they are safe and natural.”

LiteFit USA was marketed as an herbal dietary supplement, and manufactured by Global Herb, LLC. Bacai agreed to distribute the drug for the manufacturer. There have been no reports of adverse effects from consumers ingesting the product. Bacai has issued a voluntary drug recall for lots with an expiration date in 2017, which were manufactured between June 2013 and March 2014.

The FDA and Failure to Regulate Dangerous Drug Recalls

Mitchell Katz, MD, said in an editor’s note that the number of dangerous drug recalls ”grossly underestimates the number of products on sale with unapproved ingredients.”

“Dietary supplements should be treated with the same rigor as pharmaceutical drugs and with the same goal: to protect consumer health,” Katz wrote.

A 2011 study conducted by Dr. Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, found that even supplements that had fallen under Class I dangerous drug recalls could still be purchased. According to Cohen, although the FDA issued the serious recall, it was still voluntary because the FDA has no oversight specifically over supplements. For example, the weight loss supplement Pai You Guo, recalled in 2009 because it contained a banned dangerous drug, could still be bought in 2011.

In March 2013, the FDA issued a notice to consumers that many sexual enhancement drugs contained unreported pharmaceuticals, including Viagra.

Cohen suggested that consumers who want to buy supplements should stick to those with only one ingredient, or just vitamins and minerals. Consumers could also look for supplements that have been certified by the US Pharmacopeial Convention or NSF International, which can provide assurance that the supplements do not contain illegal or unregulated pharmaceuticals.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Dangerous Drug Recall Cases

Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. is a leader in the consumer protection battle against dangerous drug recalls and defective devices. We represent individuals who have been killed or injured by dangerous or defective pharmaceuticals. If you or a family member have been injured or killed after using a dangerous drugs such as dietary or weight loss supplements with undeclared ingredients, contact our dangerous drug lawyers as soon as possible so that we can begin taking steps to preserve evidence and your claim immediately.We offer free consultations to discuss the facts of your case. 803.252.4800