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Call for better regulation of 'diet pills' following death
Chris Wilcock (left) died after taking tablets with caffeine that was equivalent to 300 cups of coffee
Caffeine supplements branded as diet pills should be better regulated, a pharmaceutical body has said.
It follows the death of Chris Wilcock from Darwen, Lancashire, who died on the day that he took the tablets.
A coroner ruled his death in April was due to caffeine toxicity. At least four deaths in the UK have been linked to caffeine pills in the past year.
Neal Patel, from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said regulation was a "problem".
"Unfortunately it does seem to fall between the Food Standards Agency and the medicine agencies and, in fact, it tends to be left to Trading Standards locally to pick out the products and see what's in them.
"That doesn't seem good enough given the number of deaths we've seen this year."
Legally available
Mr Patel added: "There is really flimsy evidence at best that caffeine can help reduce weight."
Mr Wilcock, who was a pub landlord, died after taking a supplement known as T5, which contained caffeine equivalent to 300 cups of coffee.
T5 is a generic name for products that are often marketed as slimming aids. They are classified as food supplements instead of medicines, are legal and widely available.
Mr Wilcock's fiancée Heather Thompson said she "tried to talk him out of" taking the pills.
"He just got told to take one a day and avoid alcohol with them - that was it. He didn't get told [of] the side effects, he didn't get told anything. It didn't even say it on the actual bottle."
'Consult GP'
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society said caffeine overdose could lead to symptoms including palpitations, high blood pressure, nausea and vomiting, convulsions and, in some cases, death.
One manufacturer, who did not want to be named, told BBC Radio 5 live: "Any users of the product should research very carefully the firm's suppliers before they purchase it.
"T5 is perfectly safe when used by a well-regulated supplier. Consult your GP before taking it."
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency added: "There is a variety of different ingredients used in the various products with high levels of caffeine being one of the most popular ingredients.
"Such products are typically regarded to be food supplements rather than medicines. In instances where slimming products contain ingredients that are regarded to be medicinal the MHRA will investigate whether there is a breach of human medicines regulations and take action accordingly."
Source: BBC