Finally, weight loss pills....

[southernmommie]

WASHINGTON - The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday fined the marketers of four weight loss pills $25 million for making false advertising claims ranging from rapid weight loss to reducing the risk of cancer.

FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras said the products would remain on store shelves, but that the companies would have to stop making the false claims.

“What we challenge is the marketing of the claims,” she said. “The marketers are required to back up the claims with the science and if they can’t do that they can’t make the claim. But we don’t ban the products from the shelves.”

The FTC investigated a variety of claims made — including rapid weight loss and reduction in the risk of osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and even cancer, Majoras noted.

Fines were levied against marketers of Xenadrine EFX, One A Day Weight Smart, CortiSlim and TrimSpa.

Telephone calls to the marketers seeking comment were not immediately returned Thursday.

Majoras said that some of the money paid as civil fines would be returned to consumers. “We always try to get money back when consumers have been deceived,” she said. “In this instance I’m pleased to say that I believe we’re going to get millions back from some of these products to be able to return it to consumers.”

The largest fine was levied against two marketers of Xenadrine EFX, made by New Jersey-based Nutraquest, Inc., formerly known as Cytodyne Technologies. The marketers will pay at least $8 million and as much as $12.8 million. A federal lawsuit has been filed in Newark, N.J. The marketer was identified as RTC Research & Development, LLC, based in Manasquan, N.J.

A $12 million fine was assessed against seven marketers of CortiSlim and CortiStress. The marketers were identified as Window Rock Health Laboratories, based in Brea, Calif.

The Bayer Corp., based in Morristown, N.J., will pay a $3.2 million civil penalty to settle the claims. TrimSpa, based in Whippany, N.J., will pay $1.5 million. Goen Technologies Corp., also based in Whippany, marketed TrimSpa.

Majoras cautioned the estimated 70 million Americans trying to lose weight not to turn to pills.

“You’re not going to find weight loss in a bottle of pills,” she said.

She said the FTC investigation found that the marketers of Xenadrine had a study that said those who took a placebo actually lost more weight than those taking the pill.

“They not only didn’t have studies to support the claim, they actually had a study that went the other way,” she said.

Some of the products marketed their claims through infomercials or celebrity endorsements. Anna Nicole Smith, for example, has endorsed TrimSpa.

“Testimonials from individuals are not a substitute for science,” Majoras said. “And that’s what Americans need to understand.”

(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070104/ap_on_he_me/weight_loss_pills)

[p.s.]

It's funny but most of those diet pills actually worked quite well before ephedrine/ephedra was outlawed by those same agencies that are now fining these companies for false claims, and really even if these diet pills only result in a placebo effect now (rather than actually working as they did) what does it matter as long as people lose some BF?

[southernmommie]

It's almost like they WANT us fat. Spend more money on food instead of living healthy. That would mean less money for hospitals, I know, but isn't the lives of the public more important? You would think so.

[p.s.]

It's almost like they WANT us fat. Spend more money on food instead of living healthy. That would mean less money for hospitals, I know, but isn't the lives of the public more important? You would think so.

You need to realize that the pharmacutical/chemical industries pretty much run things these days, and an obese, lazy, sick populace will end up making these parasites (did I say that I meant companies) way more money than a population comprised of strong, healthy people. No one really gives a rats ass about health care and those costs or more effort would be taken to rid the world of fast food, tobbaco smoking, air polution etc, and way more money would be put into keeping the kids healthier in both the school systems as well as out in the real world. People would also be more educated in nutrition, and the importance of exercise etc.

Anyway my rant could go on and on, but suffice it to say that "certain" companies and yes government officials are working very hard to keep us as unhealthy, and fat as possible, so as to line their pockets.

[RJSMuscle]

It's almost like they WANT us fat. Spend more money on food instead of living healthy. That would mean less money for hospitals, I know, but isn't the lives of the public more important? You would think so.

If the world suddenly got healthy and disease free, the medical profession would disappear.