FDA Issues Warning on Weight Loss Products

More than 25 brands of weight loss pills and dietary supplements contain undeclared -- and potentially harmful -- pharmaceutical ingredients, and should be avoided by consumers, according to a warning issued Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The weight loss products involved in Monday's FDA Warning are promoted and sold on the internet and in stores nationwide (see the FDA Warning for a complete list of the affected products). According to the FDA, "Some of the products claim to be 'natural' or to contain only 'herbal' ingredients, but actually contain potentially harmful ingredients not listed on the product labels or in promotional advertisements. These products have not been approved by the FDA, are illegal and may be potentially harmful to unsuspecting consumers." The potentially harmful and undisclosed ingredients include controlled substances, drugs not approved for marketing in the U.S., anti-seizure medication, and suspected cancer causing agents, according to the FDA.

• FDA Warning on Tainted Weight Loss Products
• Q&A: FDA's Initiative Against Contaminated Weight Loss Products
• FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
• Forbes: FDA Warns About Weight Loss Products
• WEbMD: FDA Warns of Risky Weight Loss Pills
• Health Care and the Law (FindLaw)
• Defective and Dangerous Products (FindLaw)