ABH pharma indicted and products recalled

Supplement Manufacturer ABH Pharma INDICTED After Years of FDA Violations

After years of playing “whack-a-mole” by sending warning letters to small brands, the FDA — and now the Department of Justice — have gone after the root of the supplement industry’s biggest problem: underhanded contract manufacturers. These are the companies that are actually bottling the products, and we have long stated that they are a better “pinch point” for strict enforcement of current Good Manufacturing Practices.

The DOJ indictment, which names Mohammed Jahirul Islam (“Islam”) as the owner of the three companies, alleges that their facilities distributed adulterated and misbranded dietary supplements and unapproved and misbranded drugs.[2] They signed a consent decree[3] forcing Islam to destroy all dietary supplements (and drugs) in their possession within 15 days, which has now also been posted on the FDA’s website.

I just got an email from Amazon saying my B-vitamin supplement product is to be recalled or destroyed. Linking me to this : FDA recall link

This is to inform you that ABH NATURE’S PRODUCTS, INC, ABH PHARMA, INC., and STOCKNUTRA.COM, INC. (the “COMPANIES”) is conducting a nationwide recall of ALL lots of its dietary supplement products pursuant to a Consent Decree entered by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. This recall applies to all dietary supplement products manufactured and sold between January 2013 – November 2019 and all lots of products are included in this recall.

Forgive me if this post is not well organized as I just received this email and haven't had a lot of time to look it over. Basically, these "underhanded contract manufacturers" have violated FDA policies multiple occasions with "adulteration, mislabeling, misbranding, failure to verify finished supplements, failure to monitor, and failure to follow control processes, and failure to qualify suppliers".

I'm not knowledgeable at all in the nutritional manufacturing field so I can't tell how big this is, but it seems huge judging by the amount of customers now having to recall and destroy their products that were manufactured by ABH. ABH pharma customer list by Business Wire A list of all the supplement companies potentially involved. The first website link says over 800 supplement brands involved. Companies also use multiple manufactures so this may only affect one of their products, such as Nutrex Research's CLA 180CT.

Well, I am curious as to what could go wrong when a manufacturing supplement company fails FDA regulations like this. Overdose, under dose, placebo pills? I'll just have to throw out my B-vitamins to be safe and hope none of my other supplements were manufactured by ABH. Although, I may wait a couple days to see if I get any other amazon emails.

I have a lot of different supplements I have tried over the years and I have gotten different brands. But I never got any of the brands on the list that were effected. there are some companies that make the pills for many different companies that put their name on them. I have seen quite a few of the brand names over the years but never bought any of those brands. I do buy brands I have learned are good products, pay a bit more but you usually get a more bioactive product.

a reply to: blueman12

Well, I am curious as to what could go wrong when a manufacturing supplement company fails FDA regulations like this

Several years ago in Australia the same thing happened, where a similar contractor was busted for not cleaning their mixing machines properly, allowing "peanuts" to contaminate a range of their products

and as you know, some people are REALLY Allergic to nuts . . . a few people died and the Co was closed down

Now Oz is very anal about such things

a reply to: blueman12

Their website, abhpharma.com, is interesting and weird. They offer services to make compounds, capsulate them, gel cap them, basically produce supplement products for other brands and companies.

The supplements, chemicals, drugs, herbs etc that they can utilize are all completely absent and it's very vaguely worded. What is a nutraceutical anyways? That's what it's referred to as on their website and it's the first time that I've seen the term.

Apparently, they were found to have procedures and equipment that didn't pass FDA inspection or requirements.

a reply to: blueman12

It's not the same everywhere. Where the ingredients come from, who made them together...it could be made 100℅ in the USA....with chems from China. Or worse....

ADLS/EMT/1st. Responder (retired-yay!)
Pharmacy (family owned)

*PS...good luck to you!

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Whats your part in the family owned pharmacy? Are you a pharmacist or pharmacist technician? Or is it owned by your family? No reason I'm asking really, just curious.

a reply to: FlyingSquirrel

We, mom, dad...owned pharmacy in neighborhood until 1978 when we could no longer compete w big pharmacy chain stores.

Myself...registered pharmacist/tech experience
Medical Specialist/1st Responder
-EMT/Advanced Life Support

*University of Michigan Med Center retiree (20 yrs)
Ford Motor Company retiree (10yrs)
City of Dearborn, Program Spec. (Retired-yay!)

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: FlyingSquirrel

We, mom, dad...owned pharmacy in neighborhood until 1978 when we could no longer compete w big pharmacy chain stores.

Myself...registered pharmacist/tech experience
Medical Specialist/1st Responder
-EMT/Advanced Life Support

*University of Michigan Med Center retiree (20 yrs)
Ford Motor Company retiree (10yrs)
City of Dearborn, Program Spec. (Retired-yay!)

Isn't it nice to be retired. Our weather has been like crap around here, heavy wet snow that makes our roads cause the car to get pulled all over the place. But the wife and I are both retired, screw it, we do not have anyplace we need to be. We have food stocks and there are stretches of days we go nowhere, I do plow the drive and get the mail and shovel, but we do not have to go unless we want to. The doctors want us to go in for blood tests, appointments, and to go to the pharmacy to get your pills. I use diet to control my problems, I go maybe once a year to the doctor, do not have to take any meds, just some supplements occasionally if I don't eat anti-eleptic food chemistry. We can go if we want, we have Three four wheel drive vehicles on the road. But I would rather just stay here since I can.

Are you enjoying retirement?

a reply to: FlyingSquirrel

Hmmm.. thanks for the info. I wonder if they were using lesser ingredients with such a vaguely worded website. A nutraceutical is :

A nutraceutical or 'bioceutical' is a pharmaceutical alternative which claims physiological benefits. In the US, "nutraceuticals" are largely unregulated,

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Hmm so it's possible that a company who makes a high quality organic b vitamin is getting their product manufactured from a company who might be lying about the quality of their ingredients and sources?

I definitely avoid anything made in china as even their "organic" products are allowed to be right next to a chemical factory.

I guess you just have to find a trusted brand..

a reply to: blueman12

Sure...and its not illegal for companies here to get any or all part of it in China, Pakistan etc...where there are no restrictions.

Go thru your house...youll find a lot of "Made in America"...where that company legally sourced out of country

a reply to: mysterioustranger

I did not know that. I guess im going to have to look up the company before i buy any more supplements. That law definitely needs to be changed!

a reply to: blueman12

See...but laws don't affect every country equally....America is so far gone with getting cheap from other countries...sadly...we still depend on other countries for being able to produce on the cheap.

Without them, dependent on keeping overall costs down....many companies would fail. So, don't be looking for a single law to help you: knowledge is the best thing. Research your companies and use the best...for you...that you can find.

B12 the body uses immediately, doesn't store...which is why I go for the injections every few months, or twice yearly. Hits like speed, lasts for days, feels great.....BUT! You can't get the same by supplements even if you take a mega dose orally in mcg's. You'll pee it out...

Stay well...MS/EMT

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Hmm i heard the spray might be better than pills. Im a little wierded out by getting injections.