Breaking but not surprising News: Senators ask FDA for national investigation of dietary

By Lydia Wheeler - 02/04/15 12:14 PM EST

Senate Democrats are calling on the Food and Drug Administration to do a nationwide investigation after four major retailers were accused of selling mislabeled and tainted dietary supplements in their New York stores. 

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sent letters to GNC, Target, Wal-Mart and Walgreens on Monday asking them to immediately stop selling store brand herbal supplements in their New York locations. The products, which included echinacea, ginseng and St. John’s wort, allegedly failed to contain the labeled substance or contained ingredients not listed on the label.

“It is unconscionable that trusted retailers appear to be deliberately misleading their customers regarding the dietary supplements that they stock on their shelves and sell to consumers,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said in a statement.

“Today, Sen. [Richard] Blumenthal [D-Conn.] and I are calling on the FDA to follow the lead of the New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and take steps to protect all American consumers from an industry shown to be selling products they know are at best, ineffective, and at worst, truly harmful.” more