After one death, two liver transplants, and dozens of reported illnesses, the fat-burning supplement known as OxyElite Pro is being pulled from shelves. Hawaii health officials have asked stores throughout the state to immediately remove the dietary supplement from their shelves, as it has been associated with liver failure and acute hepatitis in at least 29 consumers who’ve used the product. These cases and the investigation were detailed in a CDC report.
Hawaii health officials, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have joined together in an effort to investigate cases of liver damage and hepatitis among OxyElite users. Symptoms among users who’ve experienced liver damage or acute hepatitis include:
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea and / or vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Yellow skin and / or eyes
As a dietary supplement, OxyElite Pro did not require approval from the FDA before being put on the market – a fact that will likely come back to haunt the product’s manufacturers. USPLabs, LLC – the company that produces the dietary supplement – has steadfastly stood by its product since it was called into question. In a statement released earlier, USPlabs reported that, “the company continues to believe these versions are safe and are not the cause of the cluster of liver toxicity that has occurred in Hawaii.” However’ the company’s recent actions would suggest otherwise. As stated by the company, “out of an abundance of caution,” it has stopped the domestic distribution of OxyElite Pro and OxyElite Pro Super Thermo Powder.
Remaining true to its product, USPlabs has suggested to the FDA that counterfeit versions of OxyElite Pro have been in circulation throughout the U.S. The FDA has yet to find any evidence to prove the truth of this statement, but it is still investigating the possibility that counterfeit products could be linked to the cases of hepatitis that have arisen.
Considering the fact that this is not the USPlabs first questionable product, the FDA may be skeptical of the statements that have since been made by the company. USPlabs used to manufacture an OxyElite Pro product that contained DMAA (dimethylamylamine) – an ingredient that the FDA went after strongly earlier this year in April. Not surprisingly, USPlabs stopped its manufacture and distribution of the DMAA-containing supplement earlier this year as well. Adding further suspicion to the company’s product is the fact that of the 11 companies that received warning letters from the FDA over the past year in regard to the use of DMAA in their products, USPlabs was the only company that did not agree to stop using DMAA in its supplements.
The history behind USPlabs and the products it has manufactured seem to suggest that the company’s latest product, OxyElite Pro, is at the root of the illnesses that have developed among users of the product. Until it can be confirmed, the FDA, the CDC, and Hawaii health officials will continue to investigate the matter. You can contact The Senators Firm toll-free at (949) 557-5800 to learn about the legal actions that can be taken if you were unduly made ill by a dietary or weight loss supplement like OxyElite Pro.