Metabolife Dangers - Metabolife Side Effects Lawyer Attorney

Ephedra Information

September 3, 2003
Ephedra-free does not be assumed to mean safe
In response to the information regarding the dangers of ephedra and the deaths of high profile athletes linked to ephedra use, companies quickly began offering alternatives to ephedra containing products. Experts advise consumers to be wary of any ephedra product replacements. The controversy surrounding ephedra has been in part due to the fact that the FDA does not regulate herbal supplements. Similarly, the new products replacing ephedra-containing products are also not regulated and could contain anything. Products claiming immediate results are likely to contain stimulants, which can have deadly effects. For more information on ephedra side effects contact us to confer with an ephedra side effects lawyer.

August 12, 2003
Web sites may be violating FTC standards when selling ephedra products
A study published in an August 2003 Mayo Clinic Proceedings suggests Web sites might be violating truth-in-advertising standards when selling ephedra-containing products. There were 32 Web sites evaluated in the recent study and most of them failed to adhere to Federal Trade Commission standards. For more information on ephedra side effects, including Metabolife side effects, please contact us to confer with a Metabolife lawyer.

August 2, 2003
Labels don’t show everything in all cases
The deaths of Northwestern defensive back and Baltimore Orioles pitcher brought a lot of attention to the use of ephedra and the lack of federal regulation on herbal supplements. Many people do not even know what ingredients are contained in their herbal supplements, a mistake that has proven deadly.

Experts now warn that just because new products are being advertised, as “ephedra free” does not mean label reading is not necessary. The resource specialist for The Center for Drug Free Sport finds it interesting that athletes can pay so much attention to nutrition labeling on food but fail to read herbal supplement labels, which can be a deadly mistake. For more information on ephedra lawsuits contact us.

July 31, 2003
Ephedra ban likely to end up in court first
Since 1994, ephedra and other herbal supplements have not been required to report adverse effects to the FDA because it was not federally regulated. Ephedra use has resulted in over 100 deaths and thousands and adverse effects, however the FDA did little about it because of the 1994 law. Despite the controversial stay on the market, ephedra continued to be available.

The death of high profile athletes resulted in immediate public acknowledgement of the dangers of ephedra and agency officials were accused of failing to make safety changes because of political ties to supplement companies. FDA Commissioner does think that an ephedra ban may take time because the ephedra industry will go to court before it is able to go through. Since the FDA does not have as much authority on ephedra being an unregulated herbal supplement, going to court over a possible ephedra ban has never before been done.
For more information on ephedra lawsuits contact us.

July 28, 2003
Ephedra micunderstanding
Eugene Orza, the associate general counsel of the Major League Baseball Players Association has said that the union would not agree to an ephedra ban unless the federal government bans ephedra. Many lawmakers that think Orza should be taking a tougher stance against ephedra, especially following pitcher Steve Bechler’s death, have criticized Orza’s statement. The AP reported on the ephedra baseball story and wanted to clear up that major league baseball does not have the power to unilaterally ban ephedra without being negotiated by the players’ union. For more information on ephedra contact us.

July 25, 2003
Possible ephedra ban getting closer
Lawmakers listened to opinions on what type of availability ephedra should have on the market, with scientists, health officials, parents of deceased ephedra users, professional sports league representatives, and ephedra making companies telling differing positions. Linked to death and other serious conditions, ephedra has been used for weight loss and increasing athletic performance. After high profile deaths linked to ephedra, including the recent death of Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler, the scrutiny on herbal supplements in general has increased dramatically. Now, the possibility of an ephedra ban is closer than ever. For more information on Metabolife and ephedra contact us.

July 24, 2003
Stricter ephedra regulation wanted
Metabolife International is currently under investigation for herbal weight loss supplement Metabolife, which contains ephedra. According to the company it had not received any reports of adverse effects due to the ephedra ingredient, however later the company turned over 14,000 records to the FDA. The company issued a statement regarding Metabolife saying it “strongly believes in the science supporting the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements that contain ephedra when used as directed.”

There are many scientists disagreeing with Metabolife’s statement. Following ephedra safety studies, The GAO found that despite following labeling directions, many reported ephedra side effects were still made. In addition, some scientists believe that it is impossible to prove if ephedra is safe or not because of ephedra studies that do not include people with health problems, which would naturally increase the risks of suffering adverse ephedra effects. For more information on ephedra contact us.

May 19, 2003
Ephedra and ephedra alternatives risky
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced he would use ephedra products and wanted the FDA to put warning labels on ephedra to alert consumers of the potentially fatal side effects it can cause. Due to the growth of ephedra litigation because of the high profile deaths that have called attention to the dangerous unregulated supplement, more companies have begun to make ephedra free supplements available.

Still, consumers should remain wary of these ephedra alternatives according to health experts. The National Institute of Health has performed numerous studies on ephedra-free weight loss products and has found that the products can help people lose a few pounds, however the weight is often retained after a couple weeks when its’ effectiveness wears off. Contact us to confer with an ephedra lawyer.

May 13, 2003
Chicago ephedra class action lawsuit filed
Plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages for ephedra dietary supplements that have been involved in high controversy and legal battles. The ephedra class action lawsuit has also asked the court to force a ban on over a dozen defendants that include widely criticized Metabolife International from continuing to produce and sell products, as well as to recall existing stock of ephedra products. Ephedra has been linked to cardiovascular complications, stroke, seizures, death, and other adverse effects.

Blamed for over 100 deaths and hundreds of serious adverse reactions, consumer groups, patients, and experts have become upset with the allowance of ephedra containing products to remain on the market. The FDA has received over 18,000 reports of ephedra adverse reactions in recent years and the Chicago ephedra class action lawsuit is hoping to have the court rule that consumers are informed about the dangers of ephedra, a medical fund is provided to monitor the health of ephedra users, and ephedra purchasers are reimbursed. Contact us to confer with an ephedra lawyer.

May 7, 2003
Illinois lawmakers considering regulating ephedra
Illinois lawmakers were considering an ephedra ban but there are now talks of regulating ephedra. A proposed ephedra bill would ban ephedra for anyone under 18 and require that ephedra warning labels be on the products.

May 6, 2003
GNC to end carrying all ephedra products
GNC announced its stores would stop selling all ephedra-containing products at the end of June. A GNC corporate spokesperson said that with ephedra-free products now available there is no point in risking suffering ephedra side effects. The supplement chain claims removing ephedra has nothing to do with the threat of ephedra lawsuits.

April 30, 2003
American Council on Exercise urges avoiding ephedra use
The American Council on Exercise joined the countless other groups recommending consumers avoid the use of any ephedra-containing products. The group cited a study that was commissioned by the National Institutes of Health including findings by the FDA that ephedra has limited short-term benefits alongside high risk of side effects. Even at recommended dosages ephedra users continue to suffer serious and life-threatening side effects according to the group’s chief exercise physiologist and vice president of educational services.

For more ephedra information contact us.

APRIL 17, 2003
Military ephedra side effect incidents higher than suspected.
Only a small percentage of the military reported that they had used products containing ephedra on a daily basis, but a study has found that half of all heat-related injuries to occur in 2000 were amongst ephedra-using Marines. Public Citizen consumer group has been actively trying to have ephedra removed in entirety from the market and believes the military ephedra study is just another piece of evidence showing the dangers of ephedra. In 2001 Public Citizen petitioned the FDA to ban ephedra, however the government has failed to act as of yet. The recent death of MLB player Steve Bechler brought a large amount of focus on the deadly side effects associated to ephedra, pressuring lawmakers to take a more aggressive stance.

APRIL 9, 2003
Sports leagues investigating ephedra use
The heads of major U.S. sports leagues were sent letters from the Members of the House Energy and Commerce committee requesting documents regarding league policies on ephedra use. The FDA has proposed requiring warning labels on ephedra-containing products to warn of potential heart problems and risk of death, a measure not nearly adequate enough for many people.

The lucrative industry has been linked to death and over 1,400 adverse events such as stroke, heart attacks, and seizures. While some athletic associations have already banned ephedra use, including the NFL, the International Olympic Committee, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, other leagues have not yet made statements about the official position on athletes using ephedra.

APRIL 9, 2003
Ephedra study shows serious cardiovascular effects
The FDA has attributed 64% of all reported herbal side effects to ephedra. The newest ephedra related study was completed and will be presented at an April 11-5, 2003 meeting with more than 7500 scientists and researchers thought to be in attendance. The ephedra study concluded that anyone that ingests both caffeine and ephedra prior to exercise will affect the cardiovascular system by increasing hypersensitive response before, during, and after exercising.

APRIL 4, 2003
American Heart Association urges ephedra ban
The American Heart Association is also urging the federal government ban the sales of ephedra-containing products due to the deadly dangers the supplement poses. The ephedra statement included the association stating that, “ephedra has been associated with a remarkable risk profile.” The American Heart Association President, Dr. Robert Bonow, think that, “Consumers who take these products may think they are doing something good for their health, but the truth is they may be putting themselves at serious risk.”

In a RAND Corp. study that was released in March 2003, 16,000 ephedra adverse event reports were found that included two deaths, four heart attacks, and nine strokes that had involved ephedra. San Francisco researchers have said 64% of all adverse reactions from herb use are attributed to ephedra despite ephedra being lessthan 1% of supplements sold.

FEBRUARY 18, 2003
Ephedrine use may have contributed to death of baseball pitcher
Baltimore Orioles baseball pitching prospect, Steve Bechler died of heatstroke on Monday, February 17, 2003. An unidentified source has said that Bechler’s teammate was hiding a bottle of ephedrine that was eventually turned over to rescue workers. Whether or not the ephedrine contributed to Bechler’s death will not be known for two or three weeks when the final autopsy results become known.

Bechler has had a weight problem that he had been battling for the majority of his five-year professional baseball career and the dietary supplement has been linked to heatstroke deaths. Despite the NFL and NCAA ban of ephedrine, the MLB has not made any ruling regarding dietary supplements as of yet.

NFL Vikings lineman Korey Stringer died in August 2001 of heatstroke and bottles of ephedrine supplements were found in his locker. Ephedrine increased the risk of heatstroke because of the interference the supplement has with the body’s ability to get rid of heat. Professional athletes that push the limits of strength and endurance, especially in conditions of humidity and heat, can experience increased risk of deadly events.

Regardless of whether or not the autopsy reports conclude ephedrine contributed to Bechler’s death, the MLB may not be able to avoid making a ruling against dietary supplements any longer. Bechler was just 23 at the time of his death.

For more information on ephedra dangers and Metabolife dangers,
please contact us.

January 2003
People continue to take legal action into their own hands against the most popular herbal diet supplement, ephedra containing Metabolife diet pills due to the inadequate government action against the herbal industry consumers are finding to exist. The first personal injury case against Metabolife was decided in November 2002, awarding 6 plaintiffs over $4 million.

The FDA’s failure to pull Metabolife and other ephedra-containing products from the market is continuing to put mainly women at risk for death, stroke, heart attack, seizure, and psychosis. The effects of Metabolife have been shown to help a consumer lose just one third of a pound a week, despite the promise of eating anything and everything in sight. A Federal Trade Commission panel recently found Metabolife’s diet claims to be false and scientifically impossible.

Unfortunately, Metabolife’s minimal diet effects continue to lure in consumers, with Metabolife’s sales over the last five years reaching 50 million bottles, averaging 101,000 pills per hour. The Metabolife controversy and its continued availability on the market has been attributed to the FDA’s failure to take decisive action, the low level of support against ephedra-containing products from legislators, and the desire for ephedra companies to continue capitalizing on the large market of dieting Americans.

Despite the evidence of ephedra’s dangerous health effects dating back to as early as 1996, ephedra-containing products, like Metabolife, continue to adversely affect Americans. Instead of the FDA taking action to restrict the sales of ephedra and Metabolife, the Department of Health and Human Services decided last June for the Rand Corporation to study the existing ephedra scientific data. Representative Henry Waxman saw this FDA decision as a “decision to delay”.

Public Citizen consumer group, who has been petitioning the FDA to ban Metabolife and other ephedra-containing products since September 2001, responded to the agency requesting the Rand Corp perform studies that it should “resulting the firing of all official in HHS and the FDA who are responsible for this dangerous cowardice.” Although some of the toughest U.S. bills to regulate ephedra-containing products have been proposed, the likelihood of them passing are not likely according to some experts.

For more information on ephedra dangers and Metabolife dangers,
please contact us.