Illinois Ephedra Lawsuit Law Firm

Chicago Defective Prescription Drug Attorneys

Ephedra is a dietary supplement that has been linked to catastrophic complications such as sudden cardiac death, strokes and seizures. As a preeminent Chicago consumer protection law firm, The Law Group, Ltd. is dedicated to protecting consumers from dangerous and defective products, including unsafe prescription drugs.  For several years, the knowledgeable Chicago defective pharmaceutical attorneys at The Law Group have investigated claims that the use of ephedra-containing dietary products have led to strokes, heart attacks, seizures and death.  

What Is Ephedra?

Ephedrine is the active ingredient found in popular diet pills, over-the-counter decongestants, allergy medications, herbal energy boosters and herbal asthma remedies.  Originating from the ephedra plant, ephedrine has been marketed as a Chinese herb that will relieve asthma and allergy symptoms, as well as enhance athletic performance and weight loss.  Some of the more popular ephedra-containing products include Metabolife 356, Xenadrine RFA-1, Metabolift and Ripped Fuel, among others.

Our Illinois defective drug attorneys have lead the charge to protect the public from the dangerous drug ephedra.  In 2003, our knowledgeable ephedra attorneys filed a nationwide class action lawsuit against Metabolife and many other manufacturers of ephedra-containing dietary products.  Just a few days later, Illinois became the first state to pass legislation banning the sale of ephedra, which was the culmination of a drive to pass legislation banning Ephedra after a 16-year old died of a heart attack after ingesting an ephedra-containing product to help him make the football team.

The Illinois ban on ephedra products made it a misdemeanor to sell ephedra supplements in the state, an offense punishable by up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine, with repeat offenders facing up to five years in jail and a $20,000 fine.

Several organizations, including the NCAA, the Olympic Committee and the NFL, have already banned ephedra, and Canada has banned all sales of ephedra since 2002.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently taking action to require manufacturers to place warning labels on the front of all products containing ephedra about the risks of heart attack, seizure, stroke and death.

What Is the Status of Ephedra Litigation?

Several lawsuits have been filed against Metabolife International for injuries suffered as a result of its ephedra products.  In November 2002, Metabolife International was ordered to pay $4.1 million to four people who claimed they suffered from strokes or heart problems because they took the company's ephedra diet pills.

Metabolife has also been the subject of a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice based on evidence that the company may have received reports of serious adverse events from ephedra users, but made public comments to the contrary.  

What Injuries Has Ephedra Been Known to Cause?

Ephedra products have been known to cause serious medical complications, such as sudden cardiac death, strokes and seizures. Researchers at the University of San Francisco and California Poison Control System conducted an in-depth review of 140 reports of adverse events involving dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids that were submitted to the FDA between June 01, 1997 and March 31, 1999. 

Of the adverse events reported, the following results were found:

•    47% of the adverse events involved the cardiovascular symptom.
•    18% of the adverse events involved the central nervous system.
•    Hypertension was the single most frequent adverse reaction, followed by tachycardia, stroke and seizures.
•    10 of the adverse events resulted in death.
•    13 events produced permanent disability.

In total, the FDA has reported over 40 deaths and over 800 serious side effects linked to ephedra-containing products.  If you or a loved one has taken an ephedra product and suffered adverse health complications as a result, contact the skilled Chicago unsafe pharmaceutical attorneys at The Law Group at (312) 558-6444 to schedule a free consultation to learn more about a possible ephedra lawsuit.