Normally, when we learn that alternative medicine substances are contaminated with actual, scientifically tested pharmaceuticals that happen to do the exact same thing the “all-natural” supplement purports to do (oops), we can happily report these issues are not associated with serious injury or death. Normally. Sometimes people do get hurt:
FDA has received multiple reports of adverse events associated with the use of Fruta Planta, including several cardiac events and one death. FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that Fruta Planta contains sibutramine, a controlled substance that was withdrawn from the market in October 2010 for safety reasons. The product poses a threat to consumers because sibutramine is known to substantially increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some patients and may present a significant risk for patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias or stroke. Fruta Planta may also interact in life threatening ways with other medications a consumer may be taking.
– FDA Medwatch – “Fruta Planta: Public Notification – Undeclared Drug Ingredient” – 23 December 2010 (emphasis mine)
From the manufacturer (Godi International) very timely press release on 31 January 2011:
Godi International, Corp wants all consumers to know that there is NO SAFE formula on the market and that all versions of Fruta Planta contain Sibutramine. All versions of the formula are UNSAFE and should not be purchased from any source.
Godi International, Corp. has taken this voluntary action because it is committed to providing accurate information to all customers and is concerned for the health and safety of all users of Fruta Planta.
That’s reassuring. We are so committed to accurate information and safety that we allowed[1] a dangerous substance into every single version of this product we produce without checking for it or telling you about it. Sibutramine seems to accidentally contaminate the ingredients of “all-natural” weight loss products so often that its shocking that a company would aver a concern for customer safety and not guarantee that its ingredients were free of sibutramine and its analogs. As the FDA has repeatedly shown, testing for sibutramine can be done rather routinely.
The Finch and Pea 
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