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Water company linked to liver failure spars with FDA, can’t find plant manager

Images of Real Water's "alkalized" products, which the FDA now says you should not drink or use.

Enlarge / Images of Real Water’s “alkalized” products, which the FDA now says you should not drink or use. (credit: FDA)

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday admonished Nevada-based company Real Water for being uncooperative in a multi-state health investigation linked to its “alkalized” water products. The company is accused of poisoning its customers, causing acute liver failure and other serious health problems in adults, children, and pets.

On March 16, the FDA and the Southern Nevada Health District announced that they were investigating cases of acute non-viral hepatitis (resulting in acute liver failure) in five infants and children, all of whom consumed the company’s alkaline water. The water was the only common link between the five children and infants. Since then, customers have filed several lawsuits making similar claims, including three Californian women who filed a federal lawsuit in Nevada March 22 seeking class-action status.

In an investigation update Wednesday, the FDA said its work has been hamstrung by Real Water’s failure to hand over critical records for two of its product facilities. Real Water has also failed to notify its distributors of the March 24 recall of all its water products, which are still being offered for sale by online retailers, the FDA noted. In addition, the FDA reported that the company is still promoting its products on social media, despite the recall and serious health claims.

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