An over-the-counter weight-loss drug was recalled by the FDA due to serious safety risks, the Miami Herald reported Jan. 29. Venom Hyperdrive 3.0 was recalled after it tested positive in FDA laboratories for substantial amounts of sibutramine, a Schedule IV controlled substance not listed on the drug’s label. The FDA is warning consumers to stop taking the drug immediately and contact their doctors for further medical instructions. They can also contact the manufacturer, Applied Lifescience Research Industries, at legal@alrindustries.com for instructions on returning the product for a refund.
As a controlled substance, sibutramine is illegal to dispense without a doctor’s prescription. More importantly, the lack of warning makes the recalled supplement dangerous for people with heart disease, arrhythmia or a history of heart failure or stroke, because sibutramine increases blood pressure and heart rate. It’s also contraindicated for people with several common conditions, including depression, eating disorders, a history of alcohol abuse or glaucoma. And it’s not safe to mix sibutramine with certain other kinds of drugs, including opioid painkillers and a class of antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
This recall comes on the heels of a wider FDA recall of 69 weight-loss supplements that contain undeclared active ingredients, including drugs that are carcinogenic, controlled or not approved for use in the United States. Under these circumstances, selling a substance without telling consumers what it is may well be prosecuted as a crime. Even if it’s not, this illegal and irresponsible behavior could kill many patients or cause them to develop serious or permanent health conditions. And that would expose manufacturers to hundreds or even thousands of drug injury lawsuits from people who have developed serious health conditions or lost a loved one to side effects of the supplements.
A defective drug lawsuit holds manufacturers legally responsible for their actions, but it also helps victims of unsafe prescription drugs recover some of the high financial costs of a sudden and serious health problem. An emergency room visit even for a minor problem can easily reach five figures; lifetime medical care for someone with a serious chronic condition can exceed the multi-million-dollar lifetime caps on health insurance plans. And of course, no price is high enough to compensate people who suddenly lose a loved one.
If you’re facing these issues after you or someone you love took a defective prescription drug, the Lowe Law Firm can help. Our experienced defective prescription drug lawyers help people in Missouri and throughout the United States hold drug makers responsible for their carelessness. And we offer free consultations, so there’s no risk in speaking to us about your case. To set up a free consultation today, contact the Lowe Law Firm online or call us at 1-877-678-3400.
