Tuesday, October 21, 2008

10/21/08 - FDA, FTC Target Natural Products

 
Vitamin Lawyer Update eMemo: October 21, 2008

This issue:

0. News
1. FDA and FTC Target Natural Products
2. Web Ring and Wiki for Advanced Health Care – sign-up now working!
3. Standard Operating Procedures and Site Use Statements
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0. VL Blog News

Blog: http:// vitaminlawyerhealthfreedom .blogspot .com

http:// vitaminlawyerhealthfreedom.blogspot .com/2008/10/no-forced-vaccination-rally.html
See a YouTube Video of the Vitamin Lawyer at the No Forced Vaccination Rally last week!

[Please note: all URL web page links in this email are “broken” or incomplete, with the “http://” and/or “www.” removed and an extra space before the .com or .org, to avoid this message being treated as “spam” by AOL or other services.]

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1. FDA and FTC Target Natural Products
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Today, from my colleague Jim Turner, Esq, at Citizens for Health ( www citizens .org ):

“Companies barred from sharing customers' positive experience of their products

This past month, the FDA and FTC brought charges against 5 natural product companies, alleging that these companies have made improper claims about their natural dietary supplements. As most of you know, dietary supplement makers cannot legally claim that their products "cure" anything. The FDA and FTC give only drug companies permission to do that.

The twist in two of the cases is that the FDA and FTC are cracking down not just on claims, but also on the use of testimonials. These two "testimonial" cases involve Rhode Island company Daniel Chapter One and New Mexico-based Native Essence Herb Company. The FDA and FTC are seeking hefty fines and other sanctions in part because these companies posted letters from satisfied customers on their websites. None of the customers claim outright to have been cured by the products, although the customers did share their personal experience of medical conditions that objectively disappeared after use of the products. Are such testimonials medical claims? How far can a ban against testimonials go? Can the government ban consumers from sharing their personal health care experiences with one another in any forum?

Citizens For Health Chairman of the Board Jim Turner, who represents Daniel Chapter One, is concerned. The FTC and FDA attack against his client "fails to distinguish between cynical con men who intentionally cheat vulnerable people, and persons of conviction who work diligently to comply with the law in their effort to help people." You can read the full text of Turner's important analysis of this case here:

www .dc1pages .com/dc1freedom/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=71 .”

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2. Web Ring and Wiki… Sign-up Working!
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In my last eblast I told you all about the new Advanced Healthcare Web Ring and how it can help your Search Engine Status and push derogatory postings off the first page of Google and other Search Engines.

I’ve posted that information at: http:// tinyurl .com/5d6489

Now, after more beta testing the sign-up page is working! (With my special thanks to those of you sought to sign up and who communicated with me about problems!)

Take a look at the Web Ring at: www .healthcare-aware .com

And SIGN UP HERE: http: //healthcare-aware .com/subscribe/go.php?r=1&i=l0

[Please remember: all links here are “broken” so AOL etc doesn’t treat this email as “spam.”]

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3. Standard Operating Procedures and Site Use Statements
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The Vitamin Lawyer .com Consultancy offers standardized formats for various Standard Operating Procedures and for Site Use Statements.

You can find much more information about these at:

SOPs - http:// tinyurl .com/2eu6yj

SUSs – www .siteusestatement .com
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Ralph Fucetola JD
www .vitaminlawyer .com
http:// vitaminlawyerarchives .blogspot .com