Every few years a new magic weight loss pill emerges on the market, and a few years later, it is ultimately pulled for being dangerous to consumers. Many Los Angelenos love this seemingly quick fixes, but what happens when these drugs do harm to the innocent consumer? If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective drug, read on…
In the United States, under the Dietary Health and Supplement Act of 1994, the manufacturer of a dietary supplement is the one responsible for ensuring that the product is safe before it is marketed. The FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement products after they reach the market, but retailers often continue to sell the product despite dangers until the FDA bans the product – a process that often takes years. It seems counter-intuitive that until enough people become injured or die, the government waits to investigate and ultimately issue warnings to consumers or outright ban the product.
Until federal law changes, consumers need to be proactive about their health and safety. Just look at the death of a young, and otherwise healthy, army private who took a dose of the workout supplement “Jack3d,” which contained dimethylamylamine (DMAA). He bought it from a local store and after taking it, died in June 2011. It was not until April 2012 that the FDA took note and started sending warning letters. The man’s family took action by filing a wrongful death suit in February 2013 for the defective design and manufacture of the product, and the FDA took legal action against the manufacturer in July 2013. Finally, the manufacturer was forced destroy its remaining products. If this, or something similar, has happened to you or a loved one, reach out to skilled defective product lawyers as soon as possible.
To keep abreast of the current state of weight loss supplements, go to the Dietary Supplement Alerts and Safety Information section of the FDA’s Safety Alerts and Advisories page.
For more information on how to protect your legal rights, including how to recover financial damages, after being injured by a defective drug or weight loss pill, contact the aggressive trial lawyers at BIKLAW today.