Schumer Calls For Further Probe Into LI Drug Companies

EDGEWOOD, NY - Following the news that three Long Island-based pharmaceutical companies with the same owner were distributing misbranded dietary supplements and unapproved drugs, Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling for further investigation into these companies.

Last week, United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall ordered ABH Nature'sProducts, Inc., ABH Pharma, Inc., and StockNutra.com, Inc. all based in Edgewood, as well as their owner, Mohammed Islam, to destroy all dietary supplements and drugs in their possession within 15 days, according to the U.S. attorney's office. The companies and Islam were also ordered to implement consumer safety measures before manufacturing or distributing the dietary supplements. The decision was made following a lawsuit filed Nov. 21 at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In a statement released on Thursday, Schumer said the companies should face a "full federal probe" by the Department of Health and Human Services because they put the public's health at risk by claiming the supplements worked wonders in treating serious conditions like cancer, heart issues, and HIV.

"Bad Long Island pill practices could unfairly swallow up a local industry trying its best amid a lack of federal guidance," he said. "When ABH and its subsidiaries made outrageous claims that risked the health of the public they also risked the health of the local economy, because this is an important industry locally, and one bad apple should not be allowed to spoil it for all. This violation of the public’s trust and the Long Island economy cries out for a deeper federal probe given the years—the years—of failed inspections."

The FDA should also modernize its oversight of the industry, Schumer said. The Edgewood companies failed FDA inspections six times since 2012. While he commended the administration for its investigation, Schumer said Long Island's dietary supplement industry was unfairly put at risk. He called for changes in the way the federal government oversees the drug companies.

"...the FDA must continue to weed out bad apples and recommit to modernizing and reforming its oversight of the dietary supplement industry and ensure a level playing field," he said.

In 2019, the FDA announced new efforts to strengthen regulation of dietary supplements by modernizing and reforming FDA’s oversight, which Schumer said should continue in 2020 to avoid cases such as the one with ABH.

"At the end of the day, ABH did a disservice to public health and the economy of Long Island, and that is unacceptable." Schumer said.