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What Happened

In June 2011 Michael L. Sparling took a recommended dose of workout booster Jack3d before he attended drill with his Army unit. During the drills Sparling collapsed and was rushed to the hospital where he died from respiratory failure and cardiac arrest.

The FDA issued a warning in April 2012, yet the product still remains for purchase online and the shelves in GNC stores across the country. A stimulant contained in Jack3d, dimethylamylamine (DMAA), has been linked to several deaths. DMAA has been identified in several toxicology reports; in 2011 it was found in the bodies of two soldiers, as well as in 2012 in Claire Squires, a British woman who died while running the London Marathon. Jack3d has since been banned in England

DMAA is found in many popular workout boosters as the key ingredient. The FDA states the firms producing the supplements have failed to demonstrate the safety of DMAA and that it has effects similar to amphetamine. Its use has been associated with many serious side effects, including: cardiac arrest, fainting, heart attack, heart palpitations, heat stroke, kidney failure, liver failure, seizure, and even death.

Sparlings parents are now suing both GNC and USPlabs, who develops and markets Jack3d. The Sparlings are claiming that GNC and USPlabs misleadingly marketed Jack3d and did not warn consumers about its potential health risks. This is not the first time that USPlabs has been taken to court to defend their product. In December 2012, it reached a $2 million settlement with consumers in a California court while also agreeing to make warning statements larger and easier to understand.

The Personal Injury Lawyers’ Perspective

Regardless of many issued warnings, diet pills, supplements, and other dietary products have become very popular over the last several years among people who want quick results. Despite popular belief, the FDA has little oversight over dietary supplements, nor can they recall dangerous supplements from the market. Anyone who has been injured or made ill by such supplements has the legal right to file a claim for damages against the manufacturer. If you are taking a supplement and are experiencing negative side effects, see a doctor immediately and record your experiences in a medical journal, then seek the consultation of an experienced Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney. Drug manufacturer negligence claims require extensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry, the Food and Drug Administration and the process of researching and approving new drugs. It also requires a vast knowledge of product liability and administrative law. The drug injury lawyers at our firm have the resources, knowledge, and experience to handle your case and offer a confidential analysis of your claim.

Potentially Helpful Info

If you or a loved one suffered an adverse side effect from a supplement, take a moment to review this page, and then contact our office to set up a confidential consultation.

Have Questions? Check Out Our Firm's FAQs.

You can learn more by reading through our online library of lawyers' answers to frequently asked questions about drug and medical recalls.

RW

About the Editors: Our personal injury law firm has offices in Virginia (VA) and North Carolina (NC). The attorneys with the firm publish and edit articles on three Legal Examiner sites for the geographic areas of Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Northeast North Carolina as a pro bono service to the general public.

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