JULY 2003 - Ephedrine Side Effects
Recent Ephedrine News
October 13, 2003 - Davis Signs Bill Banning Sale of Ephedra-Based
Pills
Governor Gray Davis signed legislation late Sunday night, making California the
third state to ban sales of ephedra-based diet pills. Many medical professionals
blame diet pills containing ephedra for increased risk of stroke, seizure, and
heart attack. Last year, California was one of several states to require consumer
warnings on dietary supplements containing ephedra, and now joins New York and
Illinois in instituting a ban.
The California law takes effect in January, preceding possible federal action,
although the FDA is currently considering new restrictions. Since ephedra is
derived from a naturally occurring herb, and the diet pills are classified as
food supplements, the FDA has been bound by a 1994 law limiting the power the
FDA has to regulate ephedra. The FDA's interest in ephedra was provoked to an
extent by the death of Baltimore Oriels pitcher Steve Belcher, whose heatstroke
was linked to ephedra supplements.
Gov. Davis' signing of the bill is part of his reversal of position on this issue.
In 2000, Davis vetoed a bill that would have required a warning label of ephedra
products. At the time, he had received $100,000 in campaign contributions from
Metabolife, a major manufacturer of ephedra products based in California. Last
year, Davis signed the warning-label bill after Metabolife was the subject of
a federal investigation about withholding of 13,000 reports about problems with
their products.
In 2000, a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, linking
ephedra to seizures, strokes, and fatal heart attacks. The study was conducted
by researchers who examined 140 cases of health problems and found a direct link
between the product and one third of the cases. Several athletic organizations,
including the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the International Olympic
Committee, and the National Football League, have all banned ephedra-based products. For
more information on ephedra side effects contact
us to confer with an ephedra side effects lawyer.
September 9, 2003 - Ephedra ban headed
to Governor Davis
The State Assembly has approved an ephedra ban on September 9, 2003,
and now new legislation that would ban ephedra is headed to Governor
Davis. Supporters of an ephedra ban believe ephedra has deadly risks
with limited benefits. For more information on ephedra side effects
contact us to confer
with an ephedra side effects lawyer.
September 9, 2003 - Consum - ers still
not aware of ephedra dangers
According to a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine study
published in August’s Mayo Clinic Proceedings, consumers are
still failing to receive accurate information regarding the dangers
of ephedra. Internet sales of ephedra-containing products contained
incorrect or misleading statement in 34% of the 32 Web sites researcher
identified as sites marketing ephedra products for weight lose chosen
in a random search to best simulate consumer search patterns. In
41% of the ephedra sites adverse effects were not included, and
53% of the ephedra sites did not include dosing information.
For more information on ephedra side effects contact
us to confer with an ephedra side effects lawyer.
September 3, 2003 - Sen. Richard Durbin calls on Congress
to protect American consumers from ephedra
Illinois Sen. Durbin has already banned the sale of ephedra in his
state. So far, over 21 states have passed some type of ephedra restriction
and manufacturers have responded by marketing ephedra-free replacements.
These products, like ephedra, are still not safe because they are
also not regulated. Sen. Durbin’s introduction of S. 722 Dietary
Supplement Safety Act would require manufacturers of supplements
like ephedra to provide proof that their products are safe prior
to allowing them onto the market.
The senator’s bill would allow the FDA to have more authority
over potentially dangerous supplements by making it permissible
for the agency to act if receiving information that the supplement
may be linked to death or other serious side effects. Manufacturers,
under the proposed bill, would require manufacturers to report serious
adverse events like heart attacks, seizures, strokes, and death.
Ephedra manufacturers had only reported 10 adverse event reports
to the FDA but had been linked to 117 deaths and over 18,000 adverse
events. Sen. Durbin believes his proposed bill would eliminate any
existing legal loopholes while better protecting American consumer.
For more information on ephedra side effects contact
us to confer with an ephedra side effects lawyer.
September 3, 2003 - One
man pushes for an ephedra ban across the U.S.
After Kevin Riggins’ son died at high school football practice
from heatstroke while using an ephedra-containing product, Riggins
has been on a mission to make ephedra illegal. So adamant about
getting ephedra off the market, Riggins has even attracted the attention
of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Already in the news, Riggins’
mission to remove ephedra from the shelves allowed the governor
to sign into Illinois law Senate Bill 1418, which makes Illinois
the first and only state thus far to ban ephedra sales.
Riggins was not satisfied with just an Illinois ephedra ban, however
and is now charging forward to get “ephedra off the streets
in the entire country”. Hoping to get ephedra companies to
be held up to the same standards as other over the counter drug
companies, Riggins will have a tough road to battle. Ephedra has
continued to be a controversial subject and not all physicians will
agree that ephedra and death are linked. Either way, ephedra is
considered dangerous enough that sports leagues have banned the
substance. For more information on ephedra side effects contact
us to confer with an ephedra side effects lawyer.
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 - Democrats want quick ephedra
action
Many lawmakers are becoming increasingly frustrated at
the delayed actions against regulating ephedra. The FDA required
that all ephedra products contain warnings of the potential deadly
risks ephedra has been linked to five months ago, however promises
of ephedra action has yet to be fulfilled.
Ephedra critics have long argued that the lack of ephedra regulation
is due to political ties. According to Rep. James Greenwood, “It’s
pretty darn clear to me that this product has such an intense physiological
response – and a potentially dangerous one – that it
really doesn’t fit what Congress had in mind when they implemented
dietary supplements,” (signonsandiego.com, 7/24/03). For more
information on ephedra contact us.
July 24, 2003 - Baseball Commissioner
issues a statement regarding ephedra and herbal supplements
After the death of baseball player Steve Bechler, the focus and
demand for changes in the way herbal supplements are regulated became
even more heated. The baseball commissioner issued a statement in
light of the ephedra debates saying, “On behalf of Major League
Baseball and based on my concern for the health and well-being of
all professional baseball players, I urge Congress to adopt strong
measures to regulate the use of ephedra and other dangerous over-the-counter
nutritional and dietary supplements. I have undertaken all measures
available to me to prevent the use of ephedra in professional baseball,
including banning the supplement in the Minor Leagues. The proper
venue for the regulation of these dangerous supplements is in Congress
and I urge Congress to reexamine the Dietary Supplement Health and
Education Act,” (MLN News, 7/24/03). For more information
on ephedra contact us.
May 12, 2003 - Ephedra ban passes California Senate
The California Senate just voted to ban the sale of ephedra containing
weight loss supplements and now the Senate approved ephedra ban
will be sent to the state Assembly. The FDA has stated that at least
100 deaths were linked to ephedra. Already, the NFL, NCAA, IOC,
and now the MLB has banned ephedra use among its’ athletes.
California had already banned the sale of ephedra to minors and
requires warning labels on all ephedra-containing products. Contact
us to confer with an ephedra lawyer.
May 7, 2003 - Ephedra class action
lawsuit makes closing arguments
The makers of an ephedra-containing product, Cytodyne Technologies
has been battling an ephedra class action lawsuit, which just made
its closing arguments in court. The ephedra lawsuit alleged that
the maker misled consumers about the effectiveness and safety of
the ephedra product. The lawsuit alleged that clinical studies do
not substantiate advertising claims on the safety or performance-enhancement
benefits of the ephedra-containing product.
The ephedra product has been linked to a number of deaths, increased
blood pressure, and increased heartbeat. The Cytodyne product, Xenadrine
was the same ephedra pill that was linked to MLB player Steve Bechler’s
death. The San Diego City Attorney’s Office also joined in
a separate Cytodyne Xenadrine ephedra lawsuit to stop the misleading
advertising.
May 3, 2003 - Metabolife 356 reviewed by GAO
The General Accounting Office reviewed thousands of Metabolife side
effect complaints stemming from the company’s best selling
product Metabolife 356. Linked to hundreds of deaths, serious injury
and side effects, Metabolife 356 contains ephedra, which has been
the source of controversy as well as Metabolife lawsuits.
Contact us for more information on Metabolife
lawsuits.
May 1, 2003 - NFL supports ephedra regulations
Ephedra has been the source of much debate following the high profile
deaths and countless reports of death and serious ephedra-related
effects. Now, the NFL has announced that they also support legislation
that would regulate dietary supplements such as ephedra. After the
2001 high profile ephedra-related death of Minnesota Viking Korey
Stringer the NFL banned ephedra. Now, NFL players are tested and
can be suspended after the first violation if ephedra is found.
April 30, 2003 - Thousands of Metabolife complaints
not strong enough
Despite the 16,000 Metabolife customer complaints, congressional
investigators have said that those are not enough to prove if the
ephedra was the cause of the heart attacks and strokes that led
to death in many instances. The FDA did say that this also does
not mean ephedra products are safe stating, “Today’s
report does nothing to change FDA’s heightened concern that
dietary supplements containing ephedra may present a significant
and unreasonable risk of illness and injury.”
While the FDA has been receiving an increasing amount of pressure
to regulate dietary supplements like ephedra following Steve Bechler’s
death, the FDA has yet to make a move. The agency did pledge to
put warning labels on every bottle of ephedra-containing products
due to the over 100 deaths and thousands of side effects that have
been linked to ephedra use. Various health groups, including the
American Heart Association has urged a full ephedra ban and is waiting
for the FDA’s decision.
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 30, 2003 - New York City lawmakers introduce ephedra
ban bill
After the ephedra related death of MLB player Steve Bechler, pressure
intensified regarding the need for dietary supplement regulation.
A new ephedra bill was introduced in New York City that would ban
all ephedra sales. While the ephedra bill would still allow doctors
to prescribe ephedra for certain medical conditions, any unauthorized
ephedra sales would be punishable by a $1,000 fine. There have been
FDA reports of over 100 deaths among ephedra users.
April 19, 2003 - Ephedra reports continue to show dangers
A year and a half ago, South Dakota State investigated the claims
that ephedra caused weight reduction by elevating resting metabolic
rate. By using eight (four women and four men) healthy, normal weight
college students, the participants were given an ephedra supplement
that contained 20mgs of ephedra alkaloids and 150 mgs of caffeine
(amounting to about two strong cups of coffee). Within three hours
of being given the ephedra supplements, the resting metabolic rate
did rise, but not high enough to allow a person to quickly lose
weight but it did raise the systolic blood pressure by 10%.
This ephedra finding was especially worrisome considering ephedra
was recommended for exercise use. Exercising without the use of
ephedra-containing supplements raises the blood pressure, so the
combination of ephedra and exercise appeared to be very dangerous.
Due to the worrisome ephedra results, the South Dakota State ephedra
experiment was repeated, except the ephedra-caffeine product was
given to the ten men and women an hour before exercise and while
the results showed blood pressure did not drastically increase,
the heart rates did greatly elevate at a 15-17% rise.
Even an hour after exercise, the use of ephedra continued to keep
heart rates at a high elevation. When heart rate increases occur,
body temperature can also be driven up, a problem seen amongst ephedra-using
athletes. Studies continue to confirm the dangers of ephedra, the
highly controversial diet supplement linked to death, stroke, heart
attack, seizures, and other permanent nerve damages and adverse
effects.
April 17, 2003 - Public Citizen requests ephedra ban
for second time
Public Citizen first petitioned the FDA for the removal of ephedra-containing
products in September 2001. The group has requested, once again,
that an ephedra ban be made in response to the increased blood pressure
and pulse rate, in addition to increased risk of heart rhythm abnormalities,
heart attack, and stroke that has occurred with ephedra products.
The director of the Health Research Group of Public Citizen, Dr.
Sidney Wolfe, think that the FDA has failed to take adequate safety
measures over the years by hiding behind the law that federally
exempts the regulation of dietary supplements like ephedra.
Ephedra’s stay on the market has been partially attributed
to the pressure over lawmakers that companies like Metabolife have
made through large financial campaign contributions according to
Wolfe. The hold that Metabolife has had on the lucrative industry
has allowed ephedra to remain on the market. Wolfe continues to
point to the ephedra reports linking ephedra to 1000 deaths and
several hundred adverse reactions to enough evidence for the FDA
to ban the supplement.
Although the FDA has failed to ban ephedra- containing products,
the lack of federal regulation has not stopped the NFL, NCAA, Canadian
government, Army, Air Force, and many stores from voluntarily doing
so. The Public Citizen ephedra report said, “We call on the
FDA as an agency of the Public Health Service to fulfill their legal
responsibility and to stop the occurrence of further preventable
deaths and injuries by banning ephedra products.” The consumer
group had its ephedra request published in the journal Science.
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 10, 2003 - Ephedra lawsuits filed by athletes
A large number of ephedra lawsuits have been filed across the nation;
most recently a former University of Houston basketball player has
joined the group of affected ephedra-consumers. The former basketball
player, Jahn Smith was taking ephedra supplements and age 22 suffered
a heart attack, kidney failure, and liver damage. Smith did not
realize until the recent death of MLB player Steve Bechler that
ephedra could have that effect.
April 10, 2003 - California considers ephedra ban
The majority of ephedra-containing dietary supplement companies
are located in California. Already, California requires that all
ephedra-containing products carry warning labels, however now the
state is considering an outright ephedra ban. Other states that
followed California’s ephedra warning labels include Hawaii,
Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, and Washington.
In California alone, ephedra-containing products are a $200 million
industry, which is why many people have been pushing for a ban that
do not believe an ephedra warning label alone can help prevent the
over 17,000 complaints that include 100 deaths. Already, Canada,
Germany, and the United Kingdom have banned ephedra-containing products.
The New England Journal of Medicine has linked ephedra-containing
products to hypertension, palpitations, racing heartbeat, strokes,
and seizures.
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 - Metabolife named in 11 of 15 new Houston
ephedra lawsuits
Metabolife sells dietary supplements containing ephedra, a controversial
herbal supplement that has been linked to numerous deaths and over
1,400 adverse effects such as strokes, heart attacks, and seizures.
In the most recent fifteen Texas ephedra lawsuits filed, Metabolife
was named as the defendant in eleven of them.
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 15, 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 9, 2003 - Consumer Union urges federal ban of
ephedra-containing products
Many consumer advocates have been urging the federal government
to ban availability of ephedra-containing products for years; most
recently Consumer Union sent a letter to the FDA to ban ephedra.
Although the FDA proposed new warning labels be placed on the dietary
pills and sports enhancement supplements containing ephedra, the
consumer group does not feel warnings alone are adequate. The ephedra
risks are considered a serious public health hazard to the agency.
Another consumer advocate group, Public Citizen petitioned the
FDA in 2001 for the removal of ephedra-containing products. It was
not until the February 17, 2003 death of MLB player Steve Bechler
that an increased focus was brought to the deadly ephedra side effects
that have affected thousands of people. Recently, the Missouri Attorney
General Jay Nixon sued Hydroxycut, an ephedra product maker. This
ephedra lawsuit has brought even more pressure on the federal government
to take a more proactive stance towards the availability of ephedra-containing
products.
Nixon has openly criticized the FDA’s lack of regulation on
ephedra-containing products, saying, “Billions of dollars
are spent on these products, and yet the FDA doesn’t regulate
them.” The FDA has claimed in the past that due to the 1994
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act that exempted dietary
supplements from federal regulation, the agency was unable to ban
ephedra without having evidence of unreasonable risks of injury.
There have been over 1,400 reported ephedra adverse reports and
100 deaths. The dangerous ephedra side effects include heart attacks,
strokes, seizures, and death, plenty of evidence for the agency
to stop the sales of ephedra-containing products according to many
consumer groups.
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 less than 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.
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