August 25 ,
2006
Ruling Upholds Ephedrine Ban
Last week a federal appeals court upheld the ban on ephedrine, a weight loss supplement associated with serious and life threatening side effects. This ruling reverses the decision of a Utah judge who hindered the enforcement of the ephedrine ban against Nutracutical Corporation.
The federal Appeals Court’s three-judge panel ruled in favor of the FDA’s assessment of ephedrine. Previously, the FDA conducted a risk analysis of the supplement as ordered by Congress. The federal agency determined that ephedrine presents a clear and “unreasonable risk of illness or injury.” They concluded that no dosage of ephedrine is safe for consumer consumption.
Ephedrine
Ephedrine, also known as ma-huang, is a class of stimulants, which naturally occur in some plants. Historically, this supplement has been popular among athletes and dieters for its alleged ability to decrease one’s appetite and curb fatigue.
The Dangers of Ephedrine
In thousands of users, ephedrine has caused serious side effects including heart palpitations, strokes, heart attacks, and even death.
Since 1997, ephedrine has been linked to 19,000 adverse side effect events including dozens of deaths. Ephedrine has been blamed for the death of Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler, who was 23 when he collapsed in the locker room due to the effects of this dangerous drug.
Consumer advocate Elisa Odabashian, who calls this supplement a killer, is ecstatic about the ephedrine ban and believes it will truly save lives. The organization she works for, the Consumers Union, producer of Consumer Reports magazine, has long called for a ban on ephedrine.
The Ephedrine Ban
After detailed analysis, the FDA concluded that ephedrine was too dangerous to remain on the market and banned all ephedrine products in April 2004. In May 2004, the ephedrine ban was challenged by Nutracutical Corp. who claims this supplement has been used safely for years.
In 2005 a Utah judge ruled that the ban could not be enforced against the company with regards to products containing 10 milligrams or less of ephedrine. This went against the FDA’s assessment that the supplement is unsafe at any dose. Just recently, an appeals panel reversed the Utah judge’s ruling.
For
more information on ephedra side effects, including
Metabolife side effects, please contact us to confer
with an attorney.
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