The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers about 25 different diet supplements marketed for weight loss because they can pose extremely serious health risks to those who use them. According to this news report, these diet pills contain ingredients that are not approved for use in the United States. Some of the effects that have been reported are high blood pressure, seizures and strokes. These products are apparently marketed as “dietary supplements” and sold on various Web sites and in retail stores.

The weight loss products that are apparently contaminated with, what the federal agency calls, “undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients” include: Fatloss Slimming, Japan Lingzhi 24 Hours Diet, 2 Day Diet, 3x Slimming Power, 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming, 3 Day Diet, 7 Day Herbal Slim, 8 Factor Diet, 7 Diet Day/Night Formula, 999 Fitness Essence, Extrim Plus, GMP, Imelda Perfect Slim, Lida DaiDaihua, Miaozi Slim Capsules, Perfect Slim, Perfect Slim 5x, Phyto Shape, ProSlim Plus, Royal Slimming Formula, Slim 3 in 1, Slim Express 360, Slimtech, Somotrim, Superslim, TripleSlim, Zhen de Shou, and Venom Hyperdrive 3.0.

Among the dangerous ingredients FDA officials found in some of these products are sibutramine, a controlled substance, phenytoin, an anti-seizure medication and phenolphthalein, a suspected cancer causing agent. Not only are these ingredients found in these diet pills, but their amount far exceeds the levels recommended by the FDA.
Sibutramine can cause high blood pressure, seizure, heart attack and stroke. Rimbonant has been associated with increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts.

The FDA, which has inspected many of the companies that sell these products in drug stores nationwide, is now trying to recall these defective drugs. But the companies that make and distribute these products have apparently not even responded to the FDA’s recall requests. So the federal agency is now considering enforcement steps such as initiated seizures, injunctions and even filing criminal charges. Consumers who are experiencing any of these serious side effects are asked to report them to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program. They can also call FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

These unscrupulous drug companies, which are marketing and selling products that contain these illegal substances, must be made to pay for their wrongdoing. In this case, it is not merely negligence or error. I’d bet these drug companies knew what they were getting into and what kind of side effects these tainted diet pills could have on consumers. The FDA must do everything necessary to stop these manufacturers and make an example out of them. These companies must be held criminally and civilly responsible for causing serious injury to consumers.