Family files lawsuit against manufacturer of tianeptine following death of 20-year-old woman from Bucks County

A tragic incident unfolded in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, when 20-year-old Lina Jenkins succumbed to tianeptine toxicity after ingesting a dietary supplement known as Zaza. The events leading to her untimely demise began innocently enough when she purchased two bottles of Zaza from a local mini-mart. Little did she know that the 15 pills in each bottle contained tianeptine, a synthetic compound not approved for medical use in the United States.

Lina was discovered unconscious in her Quakertown residence on October 7, 2023, and tragically passed away the following day due to the toxic effects of tianeptine. In response to this devastating loss, Lina’s mother, Angela Roos, took legal action against the manufacturer of Zaza, MRSS Inc., its distributor, Mossad & J Distribution, and the mini-mart where the lethal supplement was purchased. In the lawsuit, Roos lamented the lack of warning labels on Zaza packaging, emphasizing that her daughter was unaware of the risks associated with consuming the product.

The lawsuit underscored the perils of the unregulated market for mood-altering supplements like Zaza, which bypass stringent FDA oversight applied to pharmaceutical drugs. Tianeptine’s sale as a dietary supplement despite lacking FDA approval for medical use in the US has earned it the dubious moniker “gas station heroin” due to its opioid-like effects and ubiquitous availability in gas stations. This gray market, encompassing substances such as kratom and hemp derivatives, has been flagged for potential health hazards, ranging from elevated toxin levels to potency exceeding federal limits.

Alarmingly, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Poison Control Center recorded 15 cases of tianeptine poisoning in Pennsylvania and Delaware within a year, leading to one fatality and multiple patients requiring ventilator support. An analogous spike in severe tianeptine poisoning cases in New Jersey underscored the urgent need for regulatory intervention, a sentiment echoed by Kevin Osterhoudt, medical director of CHOP’s Poison Control Center.

Osterhoudt cautioned against the dangers posed by Zaza and similar products sold over the counter, noting the absence of quality control, precise dosing information, and established safety protocols. The lawsuit advocated for greater accountability on the part of Zaza’s manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, citing FDA advisories dating back to 2018 that flagged tianeptine’s potential health risks. Subsequent calls for legislative action to classify tianeptine as a controlled substance mirrored growing concerns over its proliferation and associated health hazards.

By seeking justice for Lina’s untimely death through legal recourse, Roos aspired to spare other families the anguish she had endured. Douglas DiSandro, the attorney representing Roos, emphasized the imperative role of litigation in compelling industry stakeholders to prioritize consumer safety over profit margins. The lawsuit represented a crucial step towards holding accountable those responsible for perpetuating the public health crisis posed by unregulated dietary supplements like Zaza.