Assessment of Online Availability of Diamond Shruumz Before and After FDA Recall Initiation: Qualitative Assessment and Simulated Test Purchasing (Preprint)

Abstract

Recent reports of hospitalization associated with Diamond Shruumz products, a mushroom-containing product, has led to a manufacturer’s recall that restricts the sale, distribution, and accessibility of this new and emerging psychoactive product. This study sought to assess the continuing online availability of this product in a diverse e-commerce landscape.

Identify and characterize online availability of mushroom-containing edible product pre and post recall initiation.

Retrospective online market surveillance of Diamond Shruumz products using structured and automated search queries were employed to identify online product marketing and availability. Online surveillance included multiple social media platforms, cannabis e-commerce websites, and search engine queries between June 22 – June 27, 2024, immediately preceding the manufacturer-initiated recall. Post-recall simulated purchases were then conducted on July 12, 2024 on platforms, websites and domains identified as continuing to actively market and sell through online product listings.

Prior to product recall, a total of 4,117 product listings across 1,600 (38.86%) social media posts and user-generated comments, 11 (0.27%) shops across cannabis e-commerce websites, and 2,509 (60.94%) hyperlinks from internet search queries were generated for further content analysis. Review of online sources revealed 49 social media posts, 8 e-commerce shops and 67 domains that were identified as marketing and selling products pre-recall. Post-recall, we identified 45 (67.16%) remaining domains that continued to market the product from these sources. Simulated purchases revealed that 15 (33.33%) domains successfully transacted test purchases and 30 (66.66%) transactions failed because of account verification or payment failure.

The Diamond Shruumz recall represents the ongoing challenge of unknown consumer harm associated with new and emerging substances, especially as these products appeal to younger audiences with a variety of edible flavored products. While a recall has been initiated and product was to be made unavailable, our study found that online vendors continue to market and sell Diamond Shrummz products, indicating that implementation and enforcement are ongoing challenges to effectuate a recall in a diverse e-commerce landscape of new and novel psychoactive substances.

Not applicable