Iowa Dietary Supplement Firm Shuts Down Under Consent Decree

The U.S. Justice Department filed a complaint against the company for unlawfully manufacturing and distributing adulterated and misbranded supplements and drugs, according to an FDA news release.

Josh Long, Associate editorial director, SupplySide Supplement Journal

August 18, 2015

2 Min Read
Iowa Dietary Supplement Firm Shuts Down Under Consent Decree

A federal court on Monday entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against an Iowa-based manufacturer and distributor of dietary supplements.

Under the consent decree, Iowa Select Herbs LLC and its owners, Gordon L. Freeman and Lois A. Dotterweich, cannot resume operations until they recall their products, hire labeling and cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) experts and receive written permission from FDA, according to an agency news release.

Iowa Select Herbs and its owners marketed their products via the company’s website, through online marketplace websites, such as eBay, Amazon and buy.com, and through a retail location in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a complaint against Iowa Select Herbs for unlawfully manufacturing and distributing adulterated and misbranded supplements and drugs.

During an August 2014 inspection, FDA found the company had violated cGMPs for supplements—rendering them adulterated under federal law—and was making claims that its products could treat such medical conditions as cancer, heart disease and herpes, according to the news release. Eight months later, based on the inspection and a review of the company’s website, FDA issued a warning letter to Iowa Select Herbs.

A subsequent inspection last summer revealed “significant violations," the government’s lawsuit alleged. Although FDA had issued a Form 483 that cited 13 observations or alleged violations of FDA regulations, the Justice Department claimed the company still had not responded to the agency as of the date of the complaint.

In a phone interview last month with Natural Products INSIDER, Freeman said an FDA investigator never told him that he needed to send the FDA evidence of compliance with the regulations.

“It is unfortunate the matter escalated to this point," said Marc Sanchez, a lawyer representing Iowa Select Herbs, in an emailed statement. “It was not the result of obstinance or a refusal to comply with the Warning Letter or facility inspection, but borne from confusion on the regulatory requirements and communication obligations and channels with the FDA.

“The dietary supplement industry continues to experience growing pains as facilities grapple with making claims and complying with Part 111 (GMP requirements)," added Sanchez, who specializes in FDA regulations. “The low barriers to pre-market entry coupled with a dietary supplement definition lagging behind the market concept of supplements creates a ripe environment for confusion and regulatory violations."

About the Author

Josh Long

Associate editorial director, SupplySide Supplement Journal , Informa Markets Health and Nutrition

Josh Long directs the online news, feature and op-ed coverage at SupplySide Supplement Journal (formerly known as Natural Products Insider), which targets the health and wellness industry. He has been reporting on developments in the dietary supplement industry for over a decade, with a focus on regulatory issues, including at the Food and Drug Administration.

He has moderated and/or presented at industry trade shows, including SupplySide East, SupplySide West, Natural Products Expo West, NBJ Summit and the annual Dietary Supplement Regulatory Summit.

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn and ping him with story ideas at [email protected]

Education and previous experience

Josh majored in journalism and graduated from Arizona State University the same year "Jake the Snake" Plummer led the Sun Devils to the Rose Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes. He also holds a J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law, was admitted in 2008 to practice law in the state of Colorado and spent a year clerking for a state district court judge.

Over more than a quarter century, he’s written on various topics for newspapers and business-to-business publications – from the Yavapai in Arizona and a controversial plan for a nuclear-waste incinerator in Idaho to nuanced issues, including FDA enforcement of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA).

Since the late 1990s, his articles have been published in a variety of media, including but not limited to, the Cape Cod Times (in Massachusetts), Sedona Red Rock News (in Arizona), Denver Post (in Colorado), Casper Star-Tribune (in Wyoming), now-defunct Jackson Hole Guide (in Wyoming), Colorado Lawyer (published by the Colorado Bar Association) and Nutrition Business Journal.

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