A West Virginia company has been fined $10,000 for distributing an unapproved drug into interstate commerce without federal approval. Rebuilder Medical Technologies, Inc. must also spend a year on probation after pleading guilty.

U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II says the company manufactured and distributed a drug for skin conditions that contained colloidal silver. He continued, stating that drugs containing colloidal silver have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because of concerns over the substance’s lack of effectiveness. There also is a risk of side effects such as skin discoloration.