Health
FDA warns about weight-loss products with undeclared drugs
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted April 6, 2009
The Food and Drug Administration issued an alert in March that 72 diet concoctions sold at health food stores and on the Internet contain pharmaceuticals not listed on the label. Some ingredients also are not approved for use in the United States.
"These tainted weight-loss products pose a great risk to public health because they contain undeclared ingredients and, in some cases, contain prescription drugs in amounts that greatly exceed maximum the recommended dosages," said Janet Woodcock, MD, director of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
These products, many of which were imported and sold without prescriptions, usually are marketed as natural or herbal dietary supplements but may contain prescription-strength antidepressants, diuretics and anti-seizure medications.
A full list of the diet products is online (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/04/06/hlbf0406.htm.
