The dietary supplement industry is huge in the U.S. Americans spend billions of dollars every year on vitamins, minerals, and other supplements that promise to improve health and well-being. However, dietary supplements aren’t approved or tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That means they end up on store shelves without undergoing any rigorous testing.
It’s no surprise that many dietary supplements end up being recalled by the FDA or their manufacturers after it’s discovered that they are contaminated with foreign substances, contain undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients, or pose serious threats to patients’ health. But when that happens, can the people who take those supplements and are harmed by them sue their manufacturers?
Yes—people harmed by dietary supplements can sue for any damages they incur as a result of using those products. Although these products don’t require FDA approval to be stocked on pharmacy or health store shelves, they are required to be safe for usage. When they aren’t, the manufacturers can and should be held liable, the same way that the manufacturers of defective consumer products can and should be held liable when their products harm innocent people.
However, getting compensation from a dietary supplement manufacturer isn’t always easy. Many of them are based in other countries, or they may be uncooperative and unresponsive to injury and illness claims. That’s why having an experienced Virginia drug injury lawyer on your side is so important.
Contact the legal team at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation if you or someone you love was harmed by a defective and dangerous dietary supplement. We want to help you get the money you’re owed.
