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Mother demands stiff penalties for dealers of diet pills that killed daughter Mother demands stiff penalties for dealers of diet pills that killed Eloise Parry
(about 4 hours later)
The family of a talented university student who died after taking unlicensed diet tablets containing a highly toxic substance have called for harsh penalties for dealers in the pills. The family of a talented university student who died after taking unlicensed diet tablets containing a highly toxic substance have called for harsh penalties for dealers in the pills. Eloise Parry, 21, who battled with bulimia, was pronounced dead hours after taking eight tablets she had bought containing a chemical known as DNP, an ingredient in explosives and pesticides.
Eloise Parry, 21, who battled with bulimia, was pronounced dead hours after taking eight tablets she had bought via the internet containing a chemical known as DNP, an ingredient in explosives and pesticides.
Police and health officials said on Thursday they are working with their counterparts in Europe and north America to try to trace the person or organisation that sold Parry the tablets.Police and health officials said on Thursday they are working with their counterparts in Europe and north America to try to trace the person or organisation that sold Parry the tablets.
Related: Woman died after accidental overdose of highly toxic diet pillsRelated: Woman died after accidental overdose of highly toxic diet pills
But they have admitted their campaign against DNP is being hampered by the ease with which sellers can launch new websites as soon as they are shut down – and the fact that DNP itself is not an illegal drug. But they have admitted that their campaign against DNP is being hampered by the ease with which sellers can launch new websites as soon as they are shut down – and the fact that DNP itself is not an illegal drug.
A coroner concluded on Thursday that Parry, from Shrewsbury in Shropshire, had died after taking diet pills containing the chemical 2,4-dinitrophenol, commonly known as DNP. A coroner concluded on Thursday that Parry, from Shrewsbury in Shropshire, had died after taking diet pills containing the chemical 2,4-dinitrophenol, commonly known as DNP. The inquest was told that Parry, who was expected to get a first, took eight tablets and almost immediately realised her life was in danger. She sent a text message to one of her college lecturers at Glyndŵr University in Wrexham, saying: “I screwed up big time. Binged/purged all night and took four pills at 4am.
The inquest was told that Parry, who was expected to get a first, took eight tablets and almost immediately realised her life was in danger. She sent a text message to one of her college lecturers at Glyndŵr University in Wrexham, saying: “I screwed up big time. Binged/purged all night and took four pills at 4am.
“I took another four when I woke and I started vomiting soon after. I think I am going to die. No one is known to survive if they vomit after taking DNP. I am so scared. I am so sorry for being so stupid.”“I took another four when I woke and I started vomiting soon after. I think I am going to die. No one is known to survive if they vomit after taking DNP. I am so scared. I am so sorry for being so stupid.”
Speaking outside the court in Shrewsbury, her mother Fiona, a chemistry teacher, said if the pills had been banned, her daughter “would have taken more seriously the warnings about how dangerous it was”. Speaking outside the court in Shrewsbury, her mother Fiona, a chemistry teacher, said if the pills had been banned, her daughter “would have taken more seriously the warnings about how dangerous it was”. She urged people not to take DNP as a slimming tablet. She said: “Eloise was an independent soul who was carving her way through life with difficulty, exploring the world and trying to make something of herself in the process.
She urged people not to take DNP as a slimming tablet. She said: “Eloise was an independent soul who was carving her way through life with difficulty, exploring the world and trying to make something of herself in the process. “Living life to the full always involves taking risks. We weigh up the pros and cons and decide whether the risk is worth taking. Eloise decided that even though she had been told DNP was dangerous, being slimmer was worth the risk. She was convinced the dangers were being exaggerated and some days she even thought she was being lied to about it. She was wrong.
“Living life to the full always involves taking risks, we weigh up the pros and cons and decide whether the risk is worth taking. “If anything, it was even more dangerous than she had been told. She weighed the pros and cons and made a bad choice. It cost her her life. I would implore anyone even considering taking DNP or something similar not to do so.
“Eloise decided that even though she had been told DNP was dangerous, being slimmer was worth the risk. She was convinced the dangers were being exaggerated and some days she even thought she was being lied to about it. She was wrong. “These substances are sold by people who don’t care about your health – they just want your money. You can’t know whether or not you are getting what you paid for and probably you’re not. I would very much like to see much harsher penalties for distributing and supplying these substances. The extent to which it becomes illegal is something for discussion amongst government departments.”
“If anything it was even more dangerous than she had been told. She weighed the pros and cons and made a bad choice. It cost her her life. I would implore anyone even considering taking DNP or something similar not to do so. Parry’s GP, Carla Ingram, told the hearing that the student, who was a size 10, was “obsessed” with her body image. In a statement read to the hearing, Dr Ingram said: “Ms Parry was deeply troubled but was intelligent and she was aware of the risk to her health taking this drug. She was, by her own admission, obsessed by her own desire and need to lose weight and continued to take escalating doses with no apparently ability to stop herself.”
“These substances are sold by people who don’t care about your health, they just want your money. You can’t know whether or not you are getting what you paid for and probably you’re not.
“I would very much like to see much harsher penalties for distributing and supplying these substances. The extent to which it becomes illegal is something for discussion amongst government departments.”
Parry’s GP, Carla Ingram, told the hearing that the student, who was a size 10, was “obsessed” with her body image. In a statement read to the hearing, Dr Ingram said: “Ms Parry was deeply troubled but was intelligent and she was aware of the risk to her health taking this drug.
“She was, by her own admission, obsessed by her own desire and need to lose weight and continued to take escalating doses with no apparently ability to stop herself.”
Parry, who was studying families and childcare studies at university, died five hours after being admitted to the Royal Shrewsbury hospital on 12 April.Parry, who was studying families and childcare studies at university, died five hours after being admitted to the Royal Shrewsbury hospital on 12 April.
Recording his conclusions, the senior coroner for Shropshire, John Ellery, said DNP was clearly a potentially dangerous and toxic substance. He said he would write to the government urging it to investigate. Recording his conclusions, the senior coroner for Shropshire, John Ellery, said DNP was clearly a potentially dangerous and toxic substance. He said he would write to the government urging it to investigate. The coroner added: “I am satisfied and endorse the actions taken by the police and the multi-agencies – they are actively pursuing this on a national and international basis.”
The coroner added: “I am satisfied and endorse the actions taken by the police and the multi-agencies – they are actively pursuing this on a national and international basis.”
The compound, which is deemed unfit for human consumption by the Health Standards Agency in the UK, has been linked to several deaths and was the subject of an Interpol warning notice issued to 190 countries in May.The compound, which is deemed unfit for human consumption by the Health Standards Agency in the UK, has been linked to several deaths and was the subject of an Interpol warning notice issued to 190 countries in May.
The tablets Parry took may have originated in Europe or Canada. She used PayPal to buy a quantity of DNP on 4 April and ordered a second batch at 6.14am on the day of her death. The tablets Parry took may have originated in Europe or Canada. She used PayPal to buy a quantity of DNP on 4 April and ordered a second batch at 6.14am on the day of her death. While DNP is not an illegal substance, it is unlawful in the UK to sell it for human consumption, which means websites trading in it can be targeted.
While DNP is not an illegal substance, it is unlawful in the UK to sell it for human consumption, which means websites trading in it can be targeted.
A spokesperson for the Food Standards Agency said: “The FSA is aware that DNP is being marketed online as a rapid weight loss supplement, fat burner or diet pill, and as a muscle-building aid for bodybuilders. These claims hide the dangers of DNP. We strongly advise people not to take DNP and if you see it on sale online or anywhere else to report it.A spokesperson for the Food Standards Agency said: “The FSA is aware that DNP is being marketed online as a rapid weight loss supplement, fat burner or diet pill, and as a muscle-building aid for bodybuilders. These claims hide the dangers of DNP. We strongly advise people not to take DNP and if you see it on sale online or anywhere else to report it.
“Since 2012 we have shut down 47 websites, and in the last couple of months have shut down a further five websites selling DNP in the UK from overseas. Our national food crime unit has been working closely with many organisations, including charities that specialise in helping those with eating disorders, to make the public aware of the dangers posed by DNP. One of our main objectives is to raise awareness among vulnerable groups, to dissuade people from considering using this dangerous substance to lose weight.”“Since 2012 we have shut down 47 websites, and in the last couple of months have shut down a further five websites selling DNP in the UK from overseas. Our national food crime unit has been working closely with many organisations, including charities that specialise in helping those with eating disorders, to make the public aware of the dangers posed by DNP. One of our main objectives is to raise awareness among vulnerable groups, to dissuade people from considering using this dangerous substance to lose weight.”