By Greg Hazley
Energy drink marketer Living Essentials responded this week to reports that its flagship 5-Hour Energy “shot” was possibly involved in 13 deaths.
The Food and Drug Administration said this week that the two-ounce caffeine drink has been associated with 92 adverse reports over the past four years. Thirty-two resulted in hospitalizations.
Responding to reports, LE, through spokeswoman Elaine Lutz, stressed that 5-Hour Energy is a dietary supplement and sought to distance the product from so-called energy drinks like Red Bull which are regulated differently by the FDA.
“Living Essentials is unaware of any deaths proven to have been caused by the consumption of 5-Hour Energy,” she said, pointing out that adverse reports are not admissions that the product was involved or contributed to an event.
Lutz said the company “takes reports of any potential adverse event tied to our products very seriously,” adding that the product is “strictly regulated by and complies with” laws governing dietary supplements. [Full statement, PDF]
She has not yet been reached by O'Dwyer's about her role with LE. [A LinkedIn profile for an Elaine Lutz lists that individual as owner of PR shop EPL Communications and Chrysler PR manager as a previous position.]
Washington, D.C.-based Crosby-Volmer Int’l Communications previously handled the Living Essentials PR account, winning the business in 2007 and handling tasks like developing a crisis plan for the company as it moved to a mass-market product.
Last month, Monster Beverage, another drink marketed as a dietary supplement, was in the spotlight after a lawsuit and FDA reports possibly linked the product to five deaths and other illnesses. Pondel Wilkinson works PR for Monster. |