But with this new hope comes opportunity for scammers. The Better Business Bureau is warning of a handful of COVID-19 vaccine-related scams that are already making the rounds. Tap or click here to find out what to watch for.
Those supplements might not be what you bargained for
Through an online shopping experiment, the FDA identified over 50 supplements that contain harmful ingredients. As a result, it found some of the chemicals are not even listed on the packaging or missing from the leaflets. You can read the FDA’s public notices on harmful products here. Because of this, many consumers are buying over-the-counter or online supplements without knowing what they contain.
Affected weight loss products
Hidden ingredients are increasingly becoming a problem in products promoted for weight loss. In its latest public notice, the FDA said, “Consumers may unknowingly take products laced with varying quantities of approved prescription drug ingredients, controlled substances, and untested and unstudied pharmaceutically active ingredients.” The weight loss supplements identified by the FDA are:
Super SlimLishou Slimming CoffeeLi Da Daidaihua PlusImperla Elita VitaccinoFruta PlantaFruta BioBurn 7Body Shape Weight Loss SystemLivtone
Super Slim and Lishou Slimming Coffee, both sold on eBay, contain sibutramine and desmethyl sibutramine. According to the FDA, sibutramine is a controlled substance that was removed from the market in 2010. It caused severe issues for people with cardiovascular diseases. Similarly, desmethyl sibutramine can substantially increase your blood pressure. The FDA also pointed out the Li Da Daidaihua Plus supplement contains phenolphthalein, which has been shown to cause cancer. Phenolphthalein is not an active ingredient in any approved drug, the FDA added. RELATED: 6 tricks to keep your packages from being stolen by porch thieves If you use any of the products listed by the FDA as being harmful, you should stop taking them immediately. If you experience any side effects or adverse reactions, you should file a report on the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting website.
Tainted sexual enhancement products
Weight loss supplements are not the only products that contain harmful elements. Some of the sexual enhancement products identified by the FDA to contain hidden drug ingredients are:
White PantherTriple Wicked PlatinumThe Super Panther 77kRoyal HoneyPremierZen Gold 7000PremierZen Platinum 8000Premier maxxzen Platinum 12000Poseidon Platinum 10000Poseidon Platinum 3500Mero MachoGold LionBlue Panther Extreme 75kBlack Stallion 9000Triple SupremeZen Plus 3500 and SupremeZen Gold 3500Triple SupremeZen Extreme 3500Thumbs Up 7 White 11K and 7 Red 70KThumbs Up 7 Blue 69K and Thumbs Up 7 Black 25KShogun-X Platinum 7000
In many cases, the products should only be taken under medical supervision and should not be sold online. RELATED: Get your prescriptions by mail? Your medication could be at risk
What the FDA is doing about it
As mentioned, you should immediately stop taking any supplements listed and report any adverse effects to the FDA. eBay has already issued a response to the warnings. It said that it would be going through its listings to remove all the products in question due to the FDA’s public notices.
