ZGzaZ said:
omeg, do you have links to any of those lawsuits or more info on the falsehood of their claims that you could send my way?
http://www.creatinesettlement.com/index.htm
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/trypto.html
In 1989, an outbreak of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) occurred among L-tryptophan users [2]. A hitherto rare disorder, EMS is a debilitating disease characterized by severe muscle and joint pain, weakness, swelling of the arms and legs, fever, skin rash, and an increase of eosinophils (certain white blood cells) in the blood. Over the next year, more than 1,500 cases and twenty-eight deaths were reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [3]. The actual toll probably was more than 5,000 people, many of whom suffered for years and are still disabled. Soke of the victims were children. When the link between EMS and L-tryptophan became apparent, the FDA quickly banned its sale [4,5].
^ ONE OF THE COMPANIES THAT MANUFACTURES GNC PRODUCTS......
The EMS outbreak was traced to the presence of an impurities in the L-tryptophan produced by Showa Denko K.K., a Japanese wholesaler that was the major supplier to American manufacturers [6-8]. Showa Denko realized that it would not only be liable for damages to L-tryptophan victims but would probably be forced to reimburse American manufacturers for the costs of legal actions against them. Rather than working at cross-purposes with the manufacturers, Showa Denko agreed to shoulder all the expenses involved.
Since General Nutrition Corporation (GNC) was named as a codefendant in many of the lawsuits, Brosnahan's steering committee investigated its marketing practices. In August 1992, his partner David L. Suggs deposed GNC board chairman Jerry D. Horn [8]. After asking Horn about 25 government enforcement actions that had been taken against the company between 1969 and 1989, Suggs queried:
Q. Is it your testimony that . . . it's perfectly okay for GNC to put products on its shelves, to sell pills to people if those pills have no benefit? . . .
A. We make the assumption that they make the decision based on some perceived benefit.
Q. Isn't it a fact that . . . whether or not it is going to benefit your body is a question of science and a question of fact?
A. Limited science.
Q. Don't you think that GNC, before it sells pills for people to take, ought to make some evaluation of the science and the facts to . . . determine whether there is in fact some benefit in people taking those pills into their bodies?
A. No. I would say no, we should not. We are not compelled to do that.
Q. So far as you're concerned, and . . . speaking as the chairman of the board of GNC, it's perfectly all right for GNC to sell people pills to take even if those pills have no benefit whatsoever, there's no scientific benefit. Is that correct?
A. That's not what I said.
Q. Well, are you saying, then, that there should be a benefit?
A. The benefit to them is from their perception, their need, their diet, how they're trying to supplement. We don't know each individual's supplement needs to their diet, if any.
Q. So in other words, it's OK for GNC to sell pills for people to take them into their bodies . . . as long as some customer is under the belief or perception that they're going to get some benefit? . . .
A. I'm telling you that it's up to the individual. . . . They make the decision how they want to supplement their diet.
* * *
Q. Would you agree that your company has an obligation to test . . . products before they're sold for human consumption to determine whether they are in fact beneficial?
A. No more than a grocery store does foods coming in. We're a retailer.
Q. You also manufacture products, don't you?
A. We manufacture a portion of our line.
Q. Well, with respect to the products that you manufacture, would you agree that GNC has an obligation to test those products to make sure they are in fact beneficial?
A. You can't test whether an apple a day really keeps the doctor away. There's no way to test that I know of.
* * *
Q. Have you ever heard of things like safety studies or toxicology studies or . . . clinical studies? . . .
A. Some.
Q. And what do those terms relate to?
A. I believe to the drug industry. . . . We're not in the drug business, we're in the food business as defined by the FDA.
Some reviews....
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=457148
Their a couple bud......i would give you more, but im in a rush.....ill get you more later.
Have a great day!
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