CVS Corp. the second-largest U.S. drugstore chain, on Friday said it will stop selling ephedra-based diet products at its 4,100 CVS/pharmacy stores as of Aug. 1, but said it believes ephedra-based products are safe when used as directed.
Ephedra is a weight-loss chemical that has been linked to serious safety problems. Consumer groups have called for a ban of the supplement, citing evidence that by speeding the metabolism, it causes heart problems. Manufacturers have insisted their products are safe when taken as directed.
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“With several communities where we have stores taking steps to ban products with ephedra, we have decided to discontinue the sale of these products,” said Chris Bodine, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing at CVS/pharmacy.
CVS ranks behind industry leader Walgreen Co. Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreen does not carry any ephedra products, a spokeswoman said.
The move by Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based CVS comes after General Nutrition Centers, the largest U.S. vitamin and dietary supplement chain, said in May it would stop selling products that contain ephedra. GNC also said it believed ephedra-based products are safe when used as directed.
Bloomberg News
