Spotlight on Personal Injury: Are You Using These Dangerous Products?

The New York Attorney General recently targeted manufacturers and retailers of dietary supplements and tested several products to see if they contained what they claimed to. Although the FDA has tested herbal supplements in the past and has found many of them to cause personal injury, they're not required to undergo the same stringent testing that medications are, before hitting store shelves. As such, manufacturers can put almost anything in the supplements, and, unfortunately, they have done just that. Four Major Retailers Received Cease and Desist Letters According to the New York Times, four major retailers have received letters to stop selling their products immediately. The national brands, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, GNC, and Target, have all been selling supplements that can cause personal injury to Charleston residents and others throughout the entire United States. In order to determine whether labeling fraud was occurring, the New York Attorney General's office purchased 78 bottles of leading-brand supplements from several retailers. Using DNA-level testing, it was discovered that many of the productscontain items that are not even listed on the labels. Most notably, soybeans and peanuts were in some of the mixes and not listed on the labels, which are deadly allergens to some. Dietary Supplements Found to Be Loaded with Ineffective Fillers Not only did many of the supplements contain ingredients that pose allergy risks, but they were loaded with worthless fillers. For instance, a product listed as "ginseng" which was being sold at Walgreens contains nothing more than powdered garlic and rice. It was marketed as an energy enhancer. "Ginkgo biloba," which is generally taken to improve memory, is being sold at Wal-Mart. The label claims it to be wheat and gluten-free, yet the "supplements" contain mostly powdered radish, houseplants and wheat. Target's supplements fared no better. Half of their products that were tested did not contain the "main ingredient" at all. They did, however, have peas, wild carrots, beans, and powdered rice. GNC's selection held several ingredients which were not listed, including those which pose a major allergy risk. Many of these Products Remain on Store Shelves Out of all the companies that were contacted by the New York Attorney General, only Walgreens agreed to pull their products off their shelves immediately, and at a national level. Responses from the other major retailers have been recorded by the New York Times, and there was no indication that any of them intend to stop selling these dangerous products with fraudulent labels.

Charleston Personal Injury Attorney

Although ingredients like peanuts and soy are not an issue for the majority of the population, choosing products absent of the ingredients can mean life or death to some. If you have been injured by a product that utilizes false advertising or label fraud, a court may award you reparations. Moreover, if your case is brought to light, you may be able to help put an end to these unlawful practices. Please contact our office online or speak with one of our attorneys now by calling 1(800)610-2546.