Dietary Supplements and the FDA

Due to the recent spate of Hydroxycut lawsuits, many Americans are wondering why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) didn't do anything to test the supplement before they hit the market. But the truth is that this has happened before. Supplements get released to virtually no federal overview. In the last few years alone, the FDA has had to step in after the fact and recall well-known supplements like the appetite suppressant Fen-Phen, the energy booster Ephedra, and the weight-loss supplement StarCaps.

FDA Regulation

The reason that these supplements are not tested beforehand by the FDA to meet certain standards is that the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 forces the FDA to regulate dietary supplements as foods instead of drugs, which means that these supplements are not subject to the same safety and efficacy tests that drugs require. The FDA can only act on supplements once they have been proven to be unsafe, not before they are released. This means that there will naturally be victims of the supplement's negative side-effects before the FDA can do anything about it.

Because they are not regulated as drugs, supplements are not allowed to make any claims that they cure or treat illnesses, or prevent disease. However, they are able to make generalized claims of benefits to health, even if they have not been proven to have any positive benefits at all.

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Stronger regulation laws cannot be passed until consumers let their concerns be known. If you or someone you love has taken Hydroxycut in the past, you may be eligible for compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and more. And you can help send a message to the government that supplements like these need stronger regulation. Contact the Hydroxycut lawsuit attorneys of by calling your convenience.