Diet pill makers fined millions for false claims

[phantom]

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 and agreed to stop ads that say the multivitamins can increase metabolism. TrimSpa, based in Whippany, N.J., will pay $1.5 million.

Placebo more effective
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.”

[HARDCORE]

Bwahahahaha! I LOVE IT!

I think its hilarious that the FTC found that study showing the PLACEBO lost MORE than the actual pill.... haha! Bout time.

[killermctavish]

People will buy anything if it offers a quick fix for weight loss, wrinkles, cellulite,  etc.  All it takes is a good marketing campaign but not necessarily any real product testing.  Many years ago someone did a "homemade" study on face creams.  Several brands were tested from inexpensive to ridiculously expensive and one of the "controls" was Crisco shortening.  As I recall, Crisco out-performed one or more of the ridiculously expensive brands.

[dancerqueen]

gee, like we really didn't expect this to eventually happen.....it's about time!

[jugg]

laughing my ass off at that one!!

[dancerqueen]

What is even funnier is that I get people, nearly on a daily basis, saying to "Yeah, I use....Xpill..... and it works so good."   I'm just shaking my head looking at this person saying to myself, "you're a dumbass." 

[p.s.]

What is even funnier is that I get people, nearly on a daily basis, saying to "Yeah, I use....Xpill..... and it works so good."   I'm just shaking my head looking at this person saying to myself, "you're a dumbass." 

Remember DQ as PT Barnum was fond of saying "there's a sucker born every minute", and this is what so many fad diet and diet pill makers know is in their favor IE people are lazy and want something for nothing.

What ever happened to buyer beware, and if it's to good to be true then you're about to get ripped off.

[dancerqueen]

so so so true P.S.


Bally's just came out with a commercial singing some song about how lazy we are and it shows several clips of people doing lazy things, like walking your dog while the person is driving along side the dog with the leash and eating a doughnut...another clip shows someone on a riding lawn mower for a 5 by 5 foot square lawn.....it's hysterical, but so true.  We live in such a lazy society.  It's disgusting sometimes. 

[killermctavish]

lol---so true DQ. Where I live what we call "the mall" would be a strip mall anywhere else.  Yesterday I saw a woman leave a store at the end of the mall, get into her car, and pull out.  I was behind her so I figured she was leaving.  To my shock, she DROVE to the other end of our little mall, parked, and entered the mall again.  No visible limps or anything else to indicate she was anything other than a lazy ass!!!

[p.s.]

lol---so true DQ. Where I live what we call "the mall" would be a strip mall anywhere else.  Yesterday I saw a woman leave a store at the end of the mall, get into her car, and pull out.  I was behind her so I figured she was leaving.  To my shock, she DROVE to the other end of our little mall, parked, and entered the mall again.  No visible limps or anything else to indicate she was anything other than a lazy ass!!!

Somehow I think more than her ass was lazy!!! MOst people are truely PATHETIC!

[ShoreThing]

I really have little to no sympathy for any of the people that contribute so heavily to us being the fattest country in the world. All it takes is a little self-control. Where there's a will, there's a way. I won't even get started on the 'fat baby' shows you see on Maury or Montel or whatever..."If ah don't give 'im a whole chicken an' a bottle o' soda, he'll cry!"

[JohnnyCage]

Yeah, and fat people are the cause of world hunger, because they eat all the damn food. And I don't see how they expect to loose weight drinking coke and eating fast food. Even if it says that it is low fat, it isn't healthy what so ever. These people engorge themselves like the gluttons they are, then expcet to loose weight with jogging only one mile once a week and eating fast food less often. But they still can't walk a few meters to a store in a strip mall, god forbid they over work themselves  . And then when they get even fatter to their suprise (but not to our suprise, needless to say) they resort to their "miracle pills" as a shortcut, which contributes to their laziness. After all, it's their laziness that got them to be morbidly obese in the first place correct?

[dancerqueen]

It was truly sad today.  I was listening to my client tell me a story about her meeting with her Weight Watchers group for lunch.  She said everyone ordered food very conservatively except for one lady.  She has been a part of Weight Watchers for 2 years and only has lost 60 lbs....in 2 years!  She is still around 280lbs.  HOW SAD!  On top of all this, she ordered a burger and fries with a coke and made herself feel better by stating it was her cheat meal.  First off, even if it is your cheat meal and you have done well all weak, support your friends, for cryin out loud!  Secondly, come on....who is foolin who here.  You have been a part of this group for 2 years.....Shit, I can be contest ready in 16 weeks....think of what I could do in 16 weeks.  This is truly the way our society is.....ARG!  Then they wonder why they are fat!  Good Grief!

[p.s.]

I think it's time "we" culled the herd!!

I know that there are a few (very few) with actual medical conditions that are the cause of their obesity, but generally it's poor eating and exercise habits that are the cause of oh so many front bums!

[DerekB]

lol---so true DQ. Where I live what we call "the mall" would be a strip mall anywhere else.  Yesterday I saw a woman leave a store at the end of the mall, get into her car, and pull out.  I was behind her so I figured she was leaving.  To my shock, she DROVE to the other end of our little mall, parked, and entered the mall again.  No visible limps or anything else to indicate she was anything other than a lazy ass!!!

Somehow I think more than her ass was lazy!!! MOst people are truely PATHETIC!

That about sums it up p.s.  And its quite the phenomenon here in the US sadly.