Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.
Hyped honey products tainted with erectile-dysfunction drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted warning letters to four marketers of honey-based “sexual enhancement” products that may pose a significant health risk to consumers. The companies are Thirsty Run, LLC (also known as US Royal Honey, LLC), MKS Enterprise, LLC, Shopaax.com, and 1am USA, Incorporated doing business as Pleasure Products USA. The FDA’s laboratory testing found that product samples contained active drug ingredients not listed on the product labels. These included the active ingredients found in Cialis (tadalafil) and Viagra (sildenafil), which are FDA-approved prescription drugs used to treat men with erectile dysfunction. These undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates. [FDA warns four companies for selling tainted honey-based products with hidden active drug ingredients. FDA news release, July 12, 2022] The FDA’s database of tainted sexual enhancement products now contains nearly 400 entries. Some of the products have been marketed through Amazon, eBay, Walmart and other retailers.
Heart and neuropathy supplement promoters must cease ads and sales. The Federal Trade Commission has finalized a consent order permanently banning Health Research Laboratories, LLC, Whole Body Supplements, LLC, and their owner and officer, Kramer Duhon, from advertising or selling dietary supplements. The respondents are also barred from claiming that their products treat, cure, or reduce the risk of disease. The order stems from an administrative complaint the FTC filed in November 2020 alleging unsubstantiated claims that their Ultimate Heart Formula (UHF), BG18, and Black Garlic Botanicals prevent or treat cardiovascular and other diseases, and their product, Neupathic, is effective against diabetic neuropathy. [FTC finalizes order banning deceptive marketing by supplement seller. FTC press release, June 30, 2022]
Liver injury due to improperly manufactured homeopathic product reported. Researchers have attributed three cases of acute liver injury to Arsenicum Album 30C, a homeopathic product prepared from arsenic trioxide that was touted by some practitioners as a “vaccine equivalent” and was distributed through Indian government agencies as a COVID-19 preventive. One of the patients died from complications of liver injury. The researchers concluded:
Even though ultra-diluted homeopathic remedies, found ineffective as shown in large-scale meta-analysis, are considered safe for use due to the absence of any active compound beyond 12C dilution. Nonetheless, poor manufacturing practices, use of concentrated tincture formulations, and adulteration and contamination of homeopathic remedies can still pose considerable toxicity in predisposed persons. From a scientific and evidence-based standpoint, it is imperative that the general population and at-risk persons understand that vaccination, and not untested, misleading IBs [immune boosters], remains the best available armamentarium against COVID-19 which helps in fighting back the pandemic.
Source: Theruvath AH, and others. Dangerous placebo during the COVID-19 pandemic: A series of homoeopathic Arsenicum Album-induced liver injury. Cureus 14(6), June 18, 2022.
Nutritional psychiatry book panned. In This Is Your Brain on Food, Dr. Uma Naidoo claims that certain foods can be consumed and/or avoided to fight depression, schizophrenia, and other mental-health problems. However, the evidence she provides to support her claims reveals a “cornucopia of exaggerations based on small preliminary studies.” [Jarry J. Harvard psychiatrist makes inflated claims about food’s power to fight mental illness. McGill Office for Science and Society, June 28, 2022]
Ads for Fungus Eliminator criticized. Truth in Advertising (TINA) has warned that PureHealth Research has been making false and unsubstantiated claims for its Fungus Eliminator, an herbal product that it says will “eliminate toenail fungus for good.” TINA’s report also notes that the Better Business Bureau has received complaints about unauthorized charges and difficulty in securing refunds. [Fungus Eliminator. Tina.org Ad Alert, June 29, 2022]
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