Lawsuit filed in connection with undeclared PCBs in fish oil supplements

2010-03-04 05:35:04 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Justice News Flash, Press Release, Product liability)

Legal News for Product Liability Attorneys. Ten tested fish oil supplements were found to contain PCBs.

Product liability attorney alerts- Tested fish oil supplements contained PCBs, which can cause cancer and birth defects; lawsuit filed.

Santa Cruz, CA (News)—Environmental advocates filed a lawsuit on Monday, March 1, 2010, in connection with the undeclared PCBs discovered in fish oil supplements. Under Proposition 65, formally known as “The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986”, prohibits businesses from withholding information regarding toxic ingredients that could cause cancer or birth defects. Congress banned polychlorinated biphenyl compounds in 1979, though the Great Lakes and the Hudson River remain contaminated, even after environmental cleanup procedures were carried out, according to information provided by the Mercy News.

Five fish oil supplement producers including Nature Made, Twinlab Norwegian, Now Foods, Solgar, and GNC, were named in the suit along with retailers CVS and Rite Aid. Houston-based Omega Protein Inc. was also listed as a defendant in the case. After PCB detecting lab tests were conducted on 10 fish oil supplements, all of which appeared to have undeclared PCBs.

In response to pending litigation concerning these toxins, Erin Hlasney of the Council for Responsible Nutrition stated, “PCBs are ubiquitous within the environment, which means that all fish- whether fish found in oceans and rivers or fish oil supplements- contain at least trace amounts of PCBs…The lawyers are using California’s Prop. 65 statue to bring attention to their case by attempting to frame this as a public health concern, when in reality, fish oil has enjoyed decades of safe use.” The case is underway.

Legal News Reporter: Sandra Quinlan- Legal News for Product Liability Attorneys.