Owner of Sport Supplement Company Sentenced for Unlawful Distribution of Steroid-Like Drugs
According to a Department of Justice press release from February 16, 2021, a North Carolina sport supplement company owner, Brian Michael Parks, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing unapproved new drugs with the intent to mislead and defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. He was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison.
Parks admitted that from June 2017 to September 2019, his company MedFit Sarmacuticals Inc. illegally distributed Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs), Ostarine (MK-2866), Ligandrol (LGD-4033), and Testolone (RAD-140). None of these substances have been approved by the FDA.
He forfeited $350,000 as a result of his crimes. Parks misled customers and told them he was legally allowed to sell these ingredients, and he omitted several ingredients from the labels on MedFit bottles.
Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Catherine A. Hermsen of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations said of the crime, “‘Sports supplements’ that are manufactured and distributed outside the FDA’s oversight and that contain unapproved and possibly toxic ingredients endanger the health of unsuspecting consumers. Today’s actions represent our continued commitment to pursuing and bringing to justice those who mislead the public and intentionally attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA through the distribution of unapproved and potentially dangerous products.”
Furthermore, the FDA has warned against the use of SARMs, as they have been linked to life-threatening reactions, including liver toxicity, and have the potential to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said, “Bypassing the FDA drug approval process puts consumers at risk. The department will continue to work with the FDA to investigate and prosecute the illegal distribution of supplements that contain dangerous ingredients.”