In an investigation conducted by USA Today, it was found that a number of dietary supplement companies are headed by individuals with criminal pasts. Many of these companies are the same ones that have been caught manufacturing products spiked that are with drugs. Take the following, for example:
Beamonstar Products
The executive of Beamonstar Products, J.B., has two criminal convictions on his record, both of which relate to drug charges. In May of 2013, the company, which has in the past received industry awards for the sexual enhancement supplements that it produces, recalled the “all-natural” products. The recall followed tests conducted by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which revealed that some forms of the supplement contained tadalafil (a medication that can be found in the prescription erectile dysfunction drug known as Cialis).
DrBarrysVitamins.com
B.Nevins, the head of DrBarrysVitamins.com, is not a real doctor, yet he has continued to market himself as one despite an agreement that was made with prosecutors in which he agreed to not misrepresent himself. On his website, Barry is described as, “a leading formulator, developer and manufacturer of natural pharmaceuticals,” but his only health care license in the state of Florida is for massage therapy. In 2011, Nevins was charged with a felony count of unlicensed practice of the health care profession. Near the same time, one of Nevins’s products (Virility Max) was found by the FDA to be secretly spiked with a drug that mimics Viagra
IQ Formulations
The CEO of IQ Formulations was arrested in 2008 on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The charge came after the CEO used a machete to strike the car mirror of a teenager’s vehicle. According to court records, the CEO’s actions were in retaliation to the blaring music that was coming from a teenager’s car that was parked outside of his home. IQ Formulations recalled its Hydravax weight loss supplement in November of 2013 after the FDA found that it contained a diuretic drug made only for prescription medications.
Kilo Sports
The president of Kilo Sports, M.M., was indicted with three felony counts of dangerous drug possession involving steroid boldenone and testosterone, as well as one felony count possession of prescription drugs – human growth hormones – in 2004. Later, in 2009, Kilo Sports recalled three products for containing ingredients that the FDA indicated should be classified as steroids. The company again recalled a product in 2010 for concerns that is might contain an anti-estrogen drug.
Tranquility
The head of the manufacturer of Tranquility – a pill marketed for insomniacs looking to get a good night’s sleep – is a convicted criminal. In 2010, L.L. was charged with grand theft and insurance fraud and forced to give up his chiropractic license. The investigation revealed that the self-proclaimed doctor is not even credentialed! In the summer of 2013, the “all-natural” pills were found to contain two potent prescription medications: Thorazine (an anti-depressant) and Doxepin (a sleep medication).
The FDA has a tainted supplements database, the contents of which reveal at least 123 companies that have been caught unlawfully selling approximately 460 spiked products – and that’s just over the past 6 years! One of the most recent controversies regarding a dietary supplement involves Dallas-based USPlabs, which has come under a lot of scrutiny for its OxyElite Pro product. After a series of liver problems that are believed to be linked to the supplement, OxyElite Pro was pulled from shelves nationwide. The issue with unsafe dietary supplements stems from the fact that they are widely unregulated in the industry. The FDA has little jurisdiction when it comes to dietary supplements, which has inevitably resulted in mislabeled, spiked, and unsafe products being marketed to the public.
If you are suffering from a health condition that resulted from an unsafe dietary supplement, you can contact The Senators Firm for help. Our professional injury attorneys are here to help you file a claim for compensation. Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can always reach us. Call now at (949) 557-5800.