The state Department of Health has ordered stores to pull a dietary supplement from shelves while it investigates a growing number of cases of liver damage.
As of Thursday the Health Department is investigating 32 cases of acute hepatitis or sudden liver failure (up from 30 reported Wednesday): 21 cases on Oahu, seven on Hawaii island, two on Kauai, one on Maui and another in which the location has yet to be identified. Of the 32 cases, 24 reported using OxyELITE Pro before their illnesses.
"No other supplement or medication has been identified in common among more than two patients," according to the Health Department.
"While we named one product, we won’t rule out the possibility that there may be other products involved, said state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park.
"We still don’t know (much) about this product, whether it was a contaminant or a common ingredient. We still don’t have specific answers. The only thing we know so far is among the majority of the cases, they have this particular product (OxyELITE Pro) among them," she said.
The Health Department said the cases, ranging from hepatitis and acute liver inflammation to liver failure, date as far back as May. The damage has led to two liver transplants and one death.
Sonnette Marras, 48, of Maui died Oct. 4 after taking the supplement for several weeks to lose weight she had gained in pregnancy. Marras, a construction laborer for Local 368 of the Laborers’ Union and a driver for Spedi Shuttle, had seven children ranging in age from 1 to 26.
Stores are now prohibited from selling, shipping or discarding OxyELITE Pro. Inspectors visited stores statewide Thursday to ensure shelves are cleared of the dietary supplement. Violators face fines from $500 to $10,000. Possible criminal penalties may also be imposed.
The state also sent notices Thursday to all military bases recommending removal of the product from exchanges and commissaries. "We’re asking the military to comply," said Okubo.
The state will inspect three GNC stores at Hickam Air Force Base, Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay and Schofield Barracks to check whether OxyELITE Pro is on store shelves.
A company spokesman has said the product will be pulled from shelves in its Hawaii stores during the investigation.
The Health Department initially called for a voluntary removal of the dietary supplement from shelves. A majority of stores complied. Inspectors visited nearly 100 stores statewide Wednesday.
On Thursday health officials took stronger precautionary measures and ordered stores to pull the dietary supplement to ensure shelves were cleared of the product. Inspectors are also conducting an inventory of OxyELITE Pro in the islands.
The number of cases of acute hepatitis or sudden liver failure is likely to grow as public awareness increases, officials said.
Park noted three reports of liver damage from three states that may have involved the use of OxyELITE Pro or other dietary supplements used for weight loss or muscle gain.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with the respective health departments and to investigate the reports. It is unknown in which states the reports originated.
