FDA weight-loss supplement alert grows

The agency is now warning consumers about 72 tainted weight-loss supplement products, including Herbal Xenicol, Slimbionic and Xsvelten. In a March 20 announcement, FDA also expanded its alert to include the unapproved active pharmaceutical ingredients fenproporex, fluoxetine, furosemide and cetilistat, which has shown similar effects to those of orlistat in investigational trials. FDA said it inspected companies involved in selling illicit products and may issue warning letters and initiate seizure actions due to firms' "inadequate responses to recall requests." The agency faced criticism about its inability to deter illegal activity in the weight-loss supplement market (1"The Tan Sheet" Feb. 2, 2009, p. 9)