A new report is calling attention to the need for better regulation of nutritional supplements after OxyElite Pro – a popular dietary supplement – was linked to nearly 100 cases of severe liver disease. The report associates a total of 97 cases of hepatitis – including 47 cases of hospitalization, three cases of liver transplants, and one death – to OxyElite Pro, which was purported to help consumers lose weight and build muscle.
Liver damage associated with OxyElite Pro has been reported by consumers in 16 states, with a large number coming from Hawaii. Although people who took these products were becoming ill, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) did not learn of the problem until months later. USPLabs – the manufacturer of OxyElite Pro – recalled the product in October.
Although investigations are still ongoing, experts and health officials suspect that a new ingredient known as aegeline is the cause of liver damage. The problem is that because the FDA does not regulate dietary supplements until after they are made available on the market, no testing was done to ensure that aegeline was safe for consumers.
Regulating Dietary Supplements
Many advocates are stating that the OxyElite Pro issue highlights the need for increased regulation of dietary supplements. Because there was no testing to ensure the safety of aegeline, consumers became the “guinea pigs” and many suffered preventable harm as a result. Attention is also being drawn to the need for timely response and removal of dangerous supplements. Because of the FDA’s broken regulation system for dietary supplements, dangerous products – like OxyElite Pro – remain on store shelves for far too long.
Improved monitoring of supplements and timely response to reports of adverse events are essential to protecting public safety and many are pushing for sweeping changes, registration of all dietary supplements, and response teams to analyze adverse event reports. Still, the need for preemptive testing that ensures the safety of all new ingredients before they reach the market is the best way to protect consumers.
If you or someone you know has suffered harm after using OxyElite Pro or a dietary supplement, The Senators (Ret.) Firm can help. To learn more about your rights and whether you may be entitled to compensation, call (949) 557-5800.