FTC, FDA Crack Down on Coral Calcium
WASHINGTONThe Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is asking for a preliminary and permanent injunction against Kevin Trudeau, Robert Barefoot, Shop America LLC and Deonna Enterprises Inc. from making allegedly false and unsubstantiated claims that Coral Calcium Supreme can treat or cure disease. FTC charges these claimswhich include coral calcium can treat or cure cancer, multiple sclerosis and heart diseasego far beyond existing scientific evidence regarding the recognized health benefits of calcium. The complaint also challenges the defendants claim that a daily serving of Coral Calcium Supreme offers as much bioavailable calcium as two gallons of milk. In addition, FTC is asking for the companys assets to be frozen.
Coral Calcium Supreme is promoted primarily through brochures in addition to 30-minute infomercials featuring Trudeau and Barefoot and airing on networks such as Comedy Central and the Discovery Channel. The product in question is purportedly comprised of marine coral from Okinawa, Japan, and costs $19.95 for a 90-count bottle (a 30-day supply).
As part of this crackdown on unsubstantiated coral calcium claims, FTC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent separate, strong warning letters to Web site operators marketing such products as effective treatments or cures for disease. FTC is instructing these sites to remove any false or deceptive claims immediately, and FDA warns recipients the agency may initiate further enforcement action if the violations are not corrected. FTC and FDA found these sites after surfing the Internet for coral calcium products; both will follow up on their letters by revisiting these sites to see if claims have been deleted or revised. At press time, the names of companies targeted had not been disclosed.
In a separate action, FTC also charged Trudeau with violating a 1998 federal district court order that prohibited him from making unsubstantiated claims about the benefits, performance or efficacy of any products. FTC reported Trudeau has also made alleged unsubstantiated claims for another product, Biotape, which is promoted to significantly reduce severe pain.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) was at the press conference June 10 when FTCs and FDAs actions were announced. CRN (www.crnusa.org) handed out materials at the conference, including its May 15 letter to FTC and FDA asking the agencies to take enforcement action to end Barefoots highly visible and deceptive marketing campaign, and to publicize this action so other purveyors of coral calcium are aware their marketing campaigns violate federal law.
The entire industry is tarnished when irresponsible companies appear to be getting away with making illegal claims, said Annette Dickenson, Ph.D., CRN president. The dietary supplement industry is regulated by FDA and FTC, and we look to those agencies to take appropriate enforcement action so consumers can trust that dietary supplements are marketed truthfully.