High lead level in respiratory supplement

FDA advises consumers not to use Vita Breath herbal supplements, manufactured by American Herbal Lab Inc. of Rosemead, Calif., because tests showed it contains lead at more than 10,000 times the maximum recommended level. New York City health officials notified FDA May 1 after a patient with lead poisoning reported taking Vita Breath and two other herbal products. The NYC officials analyzed a sample of Vita Breath and found it contained 1,100 parts per million of lead. FDA and New York and California officials are investigating Vita Breath, which American Herbal Lab says "supports healthy lung energy and respiratory system." The firm markets 46 products under the new vita brand. FDA's advisory comes after researchers asked the agency to tighten supplement regulation in part to block products with dangerous levels of lead from reaching the market (1"The Tan Sheet" Dec. 7, 2009)