Marketers of Unproven Weight-Loss Products Ordered to Pay Nearly $2 Million

Court Rules in Favor of FTC in Case of Diet Tea and Bio-Slim Patch

Ordering nearly $2 million payment, citing “obvious and widespread” violations of the FTC Act.  The court also banned the company from employing similar tactics in marketing diet aids in the future.

FTC complaint were filed regarding Chinese Diet Tea, for promotions telling consumers they could lose as much as six pounds a week by drinking one cup of the green tea after each meal to “neutralize the absorption of fattening foods.” Advertising in national magazines such as USA Weekend and Clipper Magazine, the marketers charged $24.95 plus shipping and handling for a month’s supply.

The same marketers sold the Bio-Slim Patch, a diet patch that contained extracts from the fucus, garcinia, and guarana plants. Instructing consumers to wear the patches 24 hours a day for at least three months, the marketers claimed that “repulsive, excess ugly fatty tissue will disappear at a spectacular rate due to the combination and synergy of these three natural ingredients.” The marketers advertised the patch in national magazines and in a company catalog, and consumers paid $24.95 plus shipping and handling for a month’s supply.

Almost all of the products named contained sibutramine, active ingredient in the obesity drug Meridia, some contained 300% of recommended dosage, presenting a risk of increased blood pressure, tachycardia, palpitations, and seizure

The dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that its products are safe before they are marketed. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.

Note that since this report was last reviewed, 04/20/2009, some makers may have rectified the problem.

The FDA laboratory tests have revealed the presence of sibutramine, fenproporex, fluoxetine, bumetanide, furosemide, phenytoin, rimonabant, cetilistat, and phenolphthalein in weight loss products being sold over-the-counter.  The tainted products and the undeclared drug and/or chemical contaminant are listed below.

Product(s) Name – Contaminant Name(s)

1.   2 Day Diet – sibutramine
2.   2 Day Diet Slim Advance – sibutramine
3.   2x Powerful Slimming – sibutramine
4.   3 Day Diet – sibutramine
5.   3 Days Fit – sibutramine
6.   3x Slimming Power – sibutramine, phenytoin
7.   5x Imelda Perfect Slimming – sibutramine
8.   7 Day Herbal Slim – sibutramine
9.   7 Days Diet – sibutramine
10.   7 Diet – sibutramine
11.   7 Diet Day/Night Formula – sibutramine
12.   8 Factor Diet – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
13.   Eight Factor Diet – sibutramine
14.   21 Double Slim – sibutramine
15.   24 Hours Diet – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
16.   999 Fitness Essence – sibutramine
17.   BioEmagrecim, sample 1 – fenproporex, sample 2 – fluoxetine, furosemide
18.   Body Creator – sibutramine
19.   Body Shaping – sibutramine
20.   Body Slimming – sibutramine
21.   Cosmo Slim – sibutramine
22.   Extrim Plus – sibutramine, phenytoin
23.   Extrim Plus 24 Hour Reburn – sibutramine
24.   Fasting Diet – sibutramine
25.   Fatloss Slimming – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
26.   GMP – sibutramine
27.   Herbal Xenicol – cetilistat
28.   Imelda Fat Reducer – sibutramine
29.   Imelda Perfect Slim – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
30.   JM Fat Reducer – sibutramine
31.   Lida DaiDaihua – sibutramine
32.   Meili – sibutramine
33.   Meizitang – sibutramine
34.   Miaozi MeiMiaoQianZiJiaoNang – sibutramine
35.   Miaozi Slim Capsules – sibutramine
36.   Natural Model – sibutramine
37.   Perfect Slim – sibutramine
38.   Perfect Slim 5x – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
39.   Perfect Slim Up – sibutramine
40.   Phyto Shape – rimonabant
41.   Powerful Slim – sibutramine
42.   ProSlim Plus – sibutramine
43.   Reduce Weihgt – sibutramine
44.   Royal Slimming Formula – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
45.   Sana Plus – sibutramine
46.   Slim 3 in 1 – sibutramine
47.   Slim 3 in 1 Extra Slim Formula – sibutramine
48.   Slim 3 in 1 Extra Slim Waist Formula – sibutramine
49.   Slim 3 in 1 M18 Royal Diet – sibutramine
50.   Slim 3 in 1 Slim Formula – sibutramine
51.   Slim Burn – sibutramine
52.   Slim Express 4 in 1 – sibutramine
53.   Slim Express 360 – sibutramine
54.   *Slim Fast – sibutramine (Not the meal replacement brand)
55.   Slim Tech – sibutramine
56.   Slim Up – sibutramine
57.   Slim Waist Formula – sibutramine
58.   Slim Waistline – sibutramine
59.   Slimbionic- sibutramine
60.   Sliminate – sibutramine
61.   Slimming Formula – sibutramine
62.   Somotrim – sibutramine
63.   Starcaps – bumetanide
64.   Super Fat Burner – sibutramine
65.   Superslim – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
66.   Super Slimming – sibutramine
67.   Trim 2 Plus – sibutramine
68.   Triple Slim – sibutramine
69.   Venom Hyperdrive 3.0 – sibutramine
70.   Waist Strength Formula – sibutramine
71.   Xsvelten – sibutramine
72.   Zhen de Shou – sibutramine, phenolphthalein

If you ave taken any of the products list above, you may want to visit the FDA site to see a more comprehensive description of the contaminant.

Abbreviated descriptions of the mentioned contaminants:

Bumetanide – prescription diuretic, toxic drug interaction, low blood pressure.

Cetilistat – experimental obesity drug in clinical trials in the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

Fenproporex – amphetamine derivative stimulant not approved for sale in the U.S.

Fluoxetine – active pharmaceutical ingredient in Prozac, a prescription antidepressant.

Furosemide – active pharmaceutical ingredient in Lasix, a potent diuretic.

Phenolphthalein – Laxative ingredient “not generally recognized as safe and effective”.

Phenytoin – ingredient in Dilantin, anti-seizure medication (trace amounts only found).

Rimonabant – active ingredient in Zimulti aka Acomplia associated with seizures, depression, anxiety, insomnia, aggressiveness.

Sibutramine – active pharmaceutical ingredient in Meridia, an obesity drug. In some samples 3x the recommended dose was found, excessive dosages may cause increased blood pressure, tachycardia, palpitations, and seizure.

A tip: You can stay appraised of emerging news reports by setting up a Google Alert to send you an email when your medication is mentioned in a news report, you can set up similar alerts in MyYahoo home pages or rss feeds from yahoo news search.

Meridia (sibutramine)

• 01/21/2010 The FDA notified healthcare professionals of an increased risk of heart attack and stroke to users of the diet drug sibutramine.
• 09/2/2010 A New England Journal of Medicine referenced studies from around the world finding Meridia “another flawed diet pill’’ that should be remove from the market.
• 10/08/2010 Abbott Laboratories and FDA notified consumers and healthcare professionals of the voluntary withdrawal of Meridia (sibutramine) due to the previously discovered heart attack and stroke risks.

(between Feb. 1998 and March of 2003, the FDA received reports of some 49 deaths related to sibutramine)

November 12, 2009  – GMP Herbal Products, Inc. of  Westminster, CA withdrew their Pai You Guo weight loss supplement, following the FDA’s discovery of it containing the appetite suppressant drug sibutramine,  and phenolphthalein, a chemical suspected to be cancer-causing agent not approved for U.S distribution.

07/16/2010 Slim-30 and Joyful Slim Natural Herb for Weight Loss were recalled after being found to be marketed without an Approved NDA/ANDA; it was found to contain undeclared N-desmethy lsibutramine and traces of sibutramine an FDA-approved appetite suppressant for weight loss.

An example of skirting the law:  Although FDA banned the use of GHB, a drug marketed as dietary supplements for bodybuilding, weight loss and sleep aids in 1990, some companies maneuvered around the regulation by switching ingredients to GBL, and then to BD. These are all similar chemicals that are metabolized to GHB. The drug also developed a repution as a “party drugs.” and “date rape drug” The FDA has to take criminal action against some who continued to sell the drug after receiving multiple warning letters.  [Remarks by: Jane E. Henney, M.D. at Purdue University School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences 10/2/2000]

Phentermine

This dietary supplement comes in a liquid capsule. Lipo-6 Ephedra-Free is a ground breaking fat-loss formula, that utilizes a modern liquid-capsule delivery system for maximum results. This unique liquid capsule design provides people with a powerful and highly effective tool to assist in rapid weight loss. (The statements on this label have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.)

Price:$49.95

Read More

Ephedra-Free, Legal, Non-Prescription Extreme Fat Burner, Ephedrexin Will Turbo-Charge Your Metabolism, Burn Off Your Body Fat. Ephedrexin can be summarized in one short sentence: The most extreme men’s fat burner available anywhere – bar none! No other men’s fat burner packs the punch that Ephedrexin delivers. If you’re serious about extreme fat burning, look no further than this amazing weight loss product. Ephedrexin Contains Ten Of The World’s Most Potent Fat Burning Compounds.

Price: $8.98

Read More

LIPO−6 Black Hers is the meanest, strongest and most extreme fat burner this planet has ever seen. We’ve created the most potent blend of fat-destroying compounds imaginable. No, that doesn’t mean watered down like other female formulas. This powerful supplement is operating in a territory no female fat burner has ever dared to go. LIPO−6 Black Hers is engineered to attack body fat with a killer instinct, instantly destroying it on contact.

Price:$59.95

Read More

Slow digestion is a common concern, especially with today’s lifestyle of diets that are often void of fresh raw vegetables and high-fiber foods. Poor assimilation of food can lead to bloating and a feeling of low energy. Having a well-functioning digestive system promotes energy and vitality, leading to better overall health.

Nature’s Secret 15-Day Weight Loss Cleanse & Flush helps stimulate healthy digestion and supports cleansing of the digestive tract. The botanicals and fiber in th

Price:$12.95

Read More

270 capsules EACH of Acai Juice Extreem TM. per bottle. 1300 mg per serving of two capsules each. ! This is among the BEST Acai available on the market. Not all Acai is created equally. Helps lose weight due to its potency in natgurally boosting metabolism. Acai’s diet and cleansing benefits are well know but the benefits don’t stop there. Acai helps supply greater energy/stamina. Works well for colon cleansing as well.

Detox and Cleans your body with Acai juice Extreem TM

High quality Acai

Price:$79.00

Read More

At $0.46 per pill, we are the lower shipped price online!

Price:$53.66

Read More

A metabolism booster with extraordinary results! MetaboSpeed is a unique diet pill blending ingredients clinically designed to reduce weight by boosting the metabolism, while at the same time reducing hunger. The increased metabolic rate will burn energy more rapidly but without the cravings for food that usually accompany energy consumption. This boost to the metabolism promotes a more active healthier lifestyle while trimming down the weight. More and more celebrities have been turned on by th

Price:$149.97

Read More