FDA Steers Consumers Away From Fraudulent Diabetes Drugs

Posted on July 23, 2013

The Food and Drug Administration has released a consumer health update geared toward those persons who suffer from diabetes.  In particular, the organization is attempting to warn consumers about the danger posed by purported treatment options that fail to meet the standards set by the FDA for labeling.  What separates this warning from others of its ilk is the fact that it doesn’t pertain solely to drugs from the internet.

The labels of the diabetes drugs in question go far beyond what would be allowed under marketing guidelines.  Although they may not go so far as to completely claim to be a cure for diabetes, it’s not uncommon to see a claim saying something about how it can act as a replacement for approved diabetes medication.  The labels might also claim to offer protection from some of the symptoms and side effects associated with diabetes, such as heightened blood pressure and foot pain.  They’ll even purport to reduce the user’s chances of incurring eye, heart, or kidney disease.

Unfortunately, there’s a risk that these products could do more harm than good.  One particular worry is that the products could contain ingredients not declared on the label and that these substances could be dangerous for the consumer.  This is particularly risky when the patient with diabetes is given some other type of prescription by their doctor.  The active ingredients can interact with one another and cause the user to suffer serious health complications.  The chances of overdose and attendant threats are also greater.

Another worry is that consumers misled by the label of the product could take that item in lieu of an actual prescription from a doctor, delaying the approved treatment in favor of an unproven commodity.  This can be extremely hazardous to one’s health, as the treatment originally suggested by the doctor goes ignored and the person faces a greater risk of blindness, kidney disease, and even amputations.  It could even prove fatal.

The FDA takes the issue seriously, and as if to prove that point, they recently sent out warning letters to the makers of “diabetes” medications that failed to meet benchmarks set forth by the agency.  Instead of being marketed as the prescription products that they truly are, the items were sold as over the counter drugs, alternative medicines, and dietary supplements.

The organization hopes that people who have diabetes don’t fall prey to the claims of such products.  The FDA recognizes that it can be tempting to indulge in a solution offering instant betterment, but the truth is that if such a thing existed doctors would be prescribing it in droves.  Instead, patients should speak with their doctors to figure out a treatment plan that can stand the test of time.

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