Over 30 people across four states have been poisoned by bacterial toxins after getting intravenous (IV) drips at wellness clinics, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. The people had received IV drips containing glutathione, which is sold—without evidence—for purposes like detoxification, immune support, increased energy, and skin brightening. Glutathione is an antioxidant that’s found naturally in the body.
It has been studied as a potential treatment for various ailments, but so far there is little to no evidence-backed use for the tripeptide; there are no FDA-approved glutathione products in the US. Nevertheless, it’s commonly used as a supplement and promoted as having various benefits. It’s most often used in supplement pills, taken by mouth.
But popular wellness clinics offering IV drips of vitamins and other supplements have also been offering glutathione. According to the CDC and FDA, the problem is that specialty drug makers, called compounding pharmacies, are making these IV drips using glutathione powders that are graded for dietary supplements taken orally. This grading is critically different from that of purified products graded for use in sterile injectable drugs.
In an announcement late last month, the FDA said it had learned that at least two compounding pharmacies had been doing this and that people were getting sick. At the time, the FDA had gotten reports of at least 30 sickened people. The IV glutathione products involved appeared to be made from glutathione provided by Medisca Inc., headquartered in Plattsburgh, New York.
Medisca told the FDA that it had informed its pharmacy customers not to use the product for injectable drugs.
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