Today, grocery and drug store shelves are stacked with different types of dietary supplements. However residents of, Chicago, Illinois, should be extra careful when buying such products, especially after a dietary supplement was recalled when it was discovered that it was linked to reports of a death and cases of liver damage among consumers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has requested the company that makes OxyElite Pro to stop distribution. Marketed for weight loss, the recall came after a link was found between the use of the supplement and instances of liver disease. This was due to the substance known as aegeline, a substance that lacks a history of use and has yet to be tested for safety.
In total, the FDA has identified 56 cases nationwide. In those cases, one death, 22 hospitalizations and two liver transplants have been reported. The public can read a list of recalled OxyElite products on the FDA’s website. VERSA-1, another product from the same company, also contains aegeline and was also ordered to be recalled.
As required by law, companies should always consider consumer safety before making their products available to the public. If a company fails to do so and injuries and deaths ensue, the manufacturing company may be held liable. A consumer can file a legal action citing the negative effects of a company’s products. If an investigation shows that any injury was due to negligence on the part of the company, a consumer may be entitled to compensation to help cover damages.
A Chicago products liability legal professional’s guidance can be beneficial if a consumer plans to file a legal action. If a fatality occurs, surviving family members can file the lawsuit on behalf of the victim.
Source: Cleveland.com, “Weight Loss Supplement OxyElite Recalled Due to Liver Danger, One Death,” Brie Zeltner, Nov. 11, 2013