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CNN Live Today

Justice Department Looks at Metabolife

Aired August 16, 2002 - 13:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In medical news now, the U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation into Metabolife, and whether the company has lied about any side effects surrounding the drug ephedra. Metabolife is the leading seller of ephedra, a supplement widely used for weight loss and body building. It has been linked to dozens of deaths and hundreds of side -- effects, rather, in recent years.
CNN Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us from Washington. Sanjay, what are the dangers associated with ephedra?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, ephedra is a pretty old substance, actually, it actually comes from an herb, known as ma huang, a Chinese name, that has been around for literally hundreds of years. But some of the side effects that people are most concerned about, specifically 13,000 callers reporting adverse effects, specifically health adverse effects, from ephedra, some included insomnia, tremors, headaches, things like that. Some of the more serious ones, no doubt, seizures, heart attacks, strokes, even death. Those are the ones that have the attention of the Justice Department, Fredricka, as you mentioned. They are actually investigating Metabolife, the largest manufacturer of ephedra.

I should point out as well that this is -- the supplemental industry, the diet supplement industry is largely an unregulated industry. This is not an industry that people have focussed a lot of attention on. Certainly you can get a lot of these medications, these supplements, really, without any sort of prescription, literally go into your store and buy them.

So the Justice Department actually getting involved here is sort of a strong move.

WHITFIELD: So Sanjay, Metabolife is just now admitting to the fact that it had received a number of complaints. It had encouraged people to call a number, correct, if there were any problems they were feeling, and so just now they are finally admitting to the Justice Department or admitting publicly that they did indeed have complaints from people?

GUPTA: Well, basically, in a nutshell, there is a voluntary number that you can call. Metabolife has received over 400,000 calls. At issue is the fact that in '98, then president Michael Ellis was asked if any callers had ever called in to report adverse health effects. He said no at that time. It has subsequently come out that in fact, there have been 13,000 callers reporting adverse health effects since between '97 and 2002 over the last five years. Metabolife is being very cooperative, it sounds like, with the Justice Department up to this point. In fact saying, Yes, we will provide you even with CD-ROMs of all of the calls, and specifically what was being cited as an adverse health effect. But the real issue is back in '98 when then president Michael Ellis said they hadn't received any calls at all like that.

WHITFIELD: Now, outside of the adverse effects, how are people hoping ephedra would work? By suppressing their appetite so that it would help them lose weight?

GUPTA: That's right. It is a well known, well documented and often very effective dietary supplement. Yes, it stimulates both the brain and the body, and does -- the same things that actually increase blood pressure, increase heart rate and things like that also increase your metabolism, and that is where the Metabolife gets a lot of its effect from, actually increasing metabolism, burning calories, making it easier to lose weight.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Thank you very much, from Washington.

GUPTA: Good seeing you.

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