FDA warns about tainted arthritis and pain products

Posted 10 Jan 2024

The FDA has identified 25 products promoted for arthritis and pain management that contain drug ingredients not listed on product labels, including some found in prescription drugs. The agency advises these products are only a small fraction of potentially dangerous products marketed online and in stores. Such products may cause serious side effects and may interact with medications or dietary supplements.

Tainted Arthritis | Pain Products

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medication-health-fraud/tainted-arthritis-pain-products

FDA is notifying consumers of certain products promoted for arthritis and pain management that have been found to contain hidden ingredients and may pose a significant health risk. The public notifications listed below include those products FDA testing found to contain active drug ingredients not listed on the product labels, including some with ingredients found in prescription drugs. These products may cause potentially serious side effects and may interact with medications or dietary supplements a consumer is taking. Consumers should use caution when considering purchasing these types of products.

It is clear from the results of our decade of testing that retailers and distributors, including online marketplaces, do not effectively prevent these types of potentially harmful products from being sold to consumers. FDA cannot test all products on the market that contain potentially harmful hidden ingredients. Enforcement actions and consumer advisories for tainted products only cover a small fraction of the tainted over-the-counter products on the market.

FDA encourages consumers and health care professionals to report any adverse events to the agency’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program so the agency can take action to protect the public from any unsafe products. FDA is committed to protecting consumers from the risks of buying medicines online and helping them be more aware of how to buy online safely.

The list below includes only a small fraction of the potentially dangerous products marketed to consumers online and in stores. Even if a product is not included in this list, consumers should exercise caution before using these types of arthritis and pain management products.