Ephedrine Risk: Jury Finds Metabolife 356 Defective in Latest Lawsuit
December 18, 2002
The second lawsuit involving the controversial ephedra-based dietary supplement Metabolife 356 ended last week with jurors ruling that the product was defective but not responsible for a California man's stroke. Tom Hendriksen and his wife Dena filed suit against Metabolife International alleging the Metabolife 356 pill, which contains a mixture of caffeine and ephedrine, caused Hendriksen's stroke in August 1998.
The 12-person jury deliberated for four days, determining that Metabolife did not fail to warn Hendriksen about the product but was negligent in the distribution, manufacturing and sale of the supplement. Defense attorneys argued that there was no proof Hendriksen had ephedrine or caffeine in his body at the time of his stroke.
In November, an Alabama jury ordered the company, which is facing dozens of lawsuits over the side effects of taking Metabolife, to pay $4.07 million to four plaintiffs who allegedly suffered heart attacks after taking Metabolife 356.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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