A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association tested 27 dietary supplement products and found that some products with potentially dangerous ingredients were still sold on the market. 18 of the products included ingredients not approved for over-the-counter use while 17 contained ingredients that had previously caused the product to be recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The products ranged from weight loss to body building supplements.
The FDA recalls prescription drugs with ingredients that may potentially be a health threat, but dietary supplements are not required to be approved by the FDA before going on the market. Authors of the study suggested that stricter FDA enforcement could be the solution to the problem.
“Unapproved or adulterated drugs’ masquerading as lawful supplements is a threat to public health and to consumer confidence in the supplement industry,” Scott Melville, Consumer Healthcare Products Association president and CEO, told CTV News.
