Dietary supplements recalled by the Food and Drug Administration because of adulteration with dangerous drugs often remain on the market for years.
Researchers at Harvard purchased and analyzed 27 dietary supplements that had been banned but were still being sold at least six months after the FDA announced its prohibition. The supplements studied included weight loss products and sports or sex enhancement formulations.
Unapproved Drugs Found in Supplements
The majority still contained compounds that led to the original ban. Recalled products were adulterated with prescription medications such as fluoxetine, the active compound in Prozac, or sildenafil, found in Viagra.
Some of the weight loss supplements contained a cancer-causing laxative called phenolphthalein or sibutramine, a banned drug once sold as Meridia but removed from the market because it caused serious cardiovascular complications. Other products were contaminated with anabolic steroids.
Made in the USA
Nearly three-fourths of these supplements were made in the United States. The authors conclude that the FDA’s ability to monitor and eliminate dangerous products is inadequate. They call for more aggressive enforcement by this country’s drug watchdog.
