A snack that prevents heart disease. A drink that bolsters the immune system. A supplement that burns off pounds. Is all of this stuff true? Is any of it true? What’s behind claims like these?
In recent years, dozens of companies have gotten heat from government watchdog agencies because of inflated or unsupported claims of health benefits. Last week, the Federal Trade Commission sued POM Wonderful, accusing the company of deceptively advertising its pomegranate juice and POMx supplements. The company’s claims of “super health powers” capable of treating or preventing prostate cancer and other conditions are “false and unsubstantiated,” according to the FTC. Days later, the Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to three mouthwash makers that had been touting their products for prevention of gum disease, although no such benefit had been proven in studies.
“We’re all looking for ways to be healthier, and that makes us easy prey to slick marketing campaigns,” says George Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “These campaigns identify buzz words that encourage us to try the product. Words that imply improvement in performance, endurance, or overall health do influence consumers’ purchasing habits.”
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