US to probe possible links between five deaths and Monster energy drinks
The FDA is to look into possible links between five deaths and drinking Monster beverages
The US Food and Drug Administration is investigating five deaths and a heart attack for possible links to consuming Monster energy drinks, an agency spokeswoman said.
"I can verify that FDA has received five adverse event reports of death and one of heart attack possibly associated with Monster energy drink," the FDA spokeswoman, Shelly Burgess, said.
Burgess, however, said such reports "serve as a signal to FDA and do not prove causation between a product or ingredient and an adverse event".
She said such reports were taken seriously and diligently investigated by the agency.
Burgess urged consumers who have experienced an adverse reaction to an energy drink to notify the manufacturers, which are required to report them to the FDA within 15 days.
The family of teenager Anais Fournier, from the US state of Maryland, who died of an abnormal heartbeat in December, allegedly after drinking two cans of Monster over a 24 hour period, filed a lawsuit last week in California against Monster Beverage.
Her parents accused the company of not warning consumers of the potential dangers.