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Diet Product Alerts    Kimkins Diet Scam Fraudulent internet diet program profiled in Insider Exclusive Heidi Diaz has allegedly made millions with her Kimkins plan. Those of you who want to sue her can contact the offices of Tiedt & Hurd in California. If you are a former member of Kimkins, and would like to be part of the Kimkins Class Action Lawsuit, be sure to visit the website for all the information. Joining the Lawsuit, is very easy to do, plus there is a video to help you complete the related paperwork. Law Offices of John E. Tiedt, Inc. 10370 Hemet Street, Suite 390 Riverside, California 92503 Phone: 951-343-3320 Fax: 951-343-3329 Watch this Insider Exclusive interview with Steve Murphy Say "NO" to Kimkins - Letter from lawyer John Tiedt Search Google for Kimkins scam Laura Dobson's comments on the Low Carb Diet Blog "Kimkins" Diet Fraud Unmasked on casewatch.com ABC News Search for Kimkins Woman's World Magazine apology Kimkins Diet Rolls On Despite Founder's Excess Poundage - ConsumerAffairs.com Steve Murphy's Insider Exclusive web site FTC Freezes Assets of HGH - Hoodia vendor FTC Stops Spammers Selling Bogus Hoodia Weight-Loss Products and Human Growth Hormone Anti-Aging Products Alleges Defendants Send Illegal E-mails via Web Form Hijacking and Make False and Unsubstantiated Product Claims - August 23, 2007 Spammers must stop sending unwanted and illegal e-mail messages about hoodia weight-loss products and human growth hormone anti-aging products the Federal Trade Commission alleges don’t work. At the FTC’s request, a district court judge ordered a halt to the e-mails and to product claims that the FTC charges are false and unsubstantiated. According to the FTC’s complaint, the operation was responsible for spam messages that were sent to consumers. The illegal e-mails then drove traffic to the defendants’ Web sites. Those sites sold two types of products under a variety of names. Pills that allegedly contained hoodia gordonii and caused significant weight loss were sold under names such as “HoodiaHerbal” and “Hoodia Maximum Strength.” So-called “natural” products that were supposed to elevate a user’s human growth hormone (HGH) level and thereby dramatically reverse the aging process were sold under names that included “Perfect HGH” and “Dr-HGH.” Temporary restraining order FTC Slams Major Diet Products CortiSlim, TrimSpa, and One-A-Day WeightSmart Federal Trade Commission Reaches “New Year’s” Resolutions with Four Major Weight-Control Pill Marketers - January 4, 2007 FTC Recovers $25 Million to Settle Allegations of Deceptive Marketing for Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim, TrimSpa, and One-A-Day WeightSmart The FTC has filed complaints in four separate cases alleging that weight-loss and weight-control claims were not supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence. Marketers of the four products –Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim, TrimSpa, and One-A-Day WeightSmart – have settled with the FTC, surrendered cash and other assets worth at least $25 million, and agreed to limit their future advertising claims. Watch Video from NBC's Today Show FTC Slimes Weight-Loss Companies Gel makers, Leptoprin, Anorex and Pedialean FTC Consent Agreement - June 23, 2006 Major Weight-Loss Marketers Pay $3 Million FTC Charged They Could Not Back Up Claims for Six Weight-Loss Products for Adults and Kids Sellers making questionable weight-loss and fat-loss claims to peddle skin gels and diet supplements will pay $3 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their deceptive claims violated federal law. The settlement bars unsubstantiated claims in the future and bars the marketers from misrepresenting studies or endorsements. FTC Press Release - Companies Do Not Have Adequate Substantiation to Support the Claims - June 16 , 2004 The Federal Trade Commission has charged a Utah-based company, five related corporations, and three individuals operating as a common enterprise with making numerous false and unsubstantiated claims for weight-loss and fat-loss gels and supplements. The complaint focuses on six of the respondents’ heavily promoted products: Dermalin, Cutting Gel, and Tummy Flattening Gel (topical fat-loss gels with the same active ingredient); Leptoprin and Anorex (identical weight-loss supplements for “significantly overweight” people which contained ECA [ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin], an additional patented ingredient and calcium); and PediaLean (a glucomannan weight-loss supplement for children). In an administrative complaint announced today, the FTC alleges that the respondents violated the FTC Act by making unsubstantiated fat and weight loss claims, false claims that clinical testing proves certain efficacy claims, and false claims that Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D, is a medical doctor. Basic Research, L.L.C.; A.G. Waterhouse, L.L.C.; Klein-Becker usa, L.L.C.; Nutrasport, L.L.C.; Sovage Dermalogic Laboratories, L.L.C.; BAN, L.L.C.; Dennis Gay; Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D., also doing business as American Phytotheraphy Research Laboratory; and Mitchell K. Friedlander, were all charged. Health Canada warnings about Brazilian diet pills Two weight loss products contain controlled substances Health Canada is warning consumers not to use two unapproved products being marketed as natural health products for weight loss because they may contain substances that could lead to serious side effects or injury. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that Emagrece Sim, also known as the Brazilian Diet Pill, and Herbathin, contain the prescription-only pharmaceutical compound fluoxetine HCl (the active ingredient in Prozac), the controlled substance chlordiazepoxide HCl (an active ingredient in Librax) and the controlled substance fenproporex. Emagrece Sim and Herbathin are not authorized for sale in Canada. Click for complete story Canadian Feds crack down on bogus weight loss products We've heard it all before. We have all seen the ads for products that promise weight loss without diet or exercise. They're on late night infomercials, in newspapers and on the Internet. They all have one thing in common: they are too good to be true. Now the federal Competition Bureau is cracking down on these companies. Class action sought for 'Dr. Phil' diet suit Unhappy dieters say they lost dollars, not pounds Three dissatisfied customers are seeking class-action status for a suit against Psychologist Phil McGraw and a company through which he marketed products under the "Shape Up!" brand name. The suit, filed in Los Angeles in 2004, alleges that McGraw falsely claimed that the products would cause weight loss by promoting fat metabolism and reducing carbohydrate cravings and appetite swings. The products, which cost $120 for a month's supply, were supposedly tailored for the person's "body type," a concept for which there is no scientific support. The Los Angeles Times has reported that the FTC dropped an investigation in 2004 when the company agreed to stop marketing the products. [Selvin M. Class status sought for 'Dr. Phil' diet case. Los Angeles Times, Oct 3, 2005] Copy of the lawsuit NBTY, Inc. to Pay $2 Million Penalty For Alleged Violations of FTC Order Company Distributes Dietary Supplements in the U.S. and Abroad Nature's Bounty scammers quashed again Under the terms of a consent decree approved by the Federal Trade Commission for submission by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to the federal court for approval, NBTY, Inc. (NBTY, formerly Nature’s Bounty, Inc.), a leading manufacturer and distributor of dietary supplements in the United States and abroad, will pay a $2 million civil penalty to settle charges that it violated the terms of a 1995 Commission order by making false and misleading health claims about two of its products. The FTC charged that the defendant made unsubstantiated promises that its products would cause consumers to lose weight or cure a variety of health problems. “Misleading health claims prevent consumers from getting useful information and can delay treatment for serious medical conditions,” said Lydia B. Parnes, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Companies already under order for making deceptive health claims should know better than to try it again.” FTC Stops False Claims about Fountain of Youth Oral Sprays Sprays Do Not Contain, or Cause the Body to Produce, Human Growth Hormone as Claimed Pacific Herbal Sciences and others charged. At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal court issued a temporary restraining order against marketers of oral sprays that supposedly contain human growth hormone (HGH) to stop them from making alleged false and deceptive claims and from sending illegal spam. The temporary restraining order also freezes the defendants’ assets. The FTC charged that the sprays, marketed on dozens of Web sites and through spam, do not cause weight loss, reverse the aging process, or prevent or treat diseases as advertised. Say Au Revoir to Diet Ripoffs FTC and Canada’s Competition Bureau Announce French Translation of Consumer Information The Federal Trade Commission and Canada’s Competition Bureau are working together to educate consumers about worthless products purported to produce weight loss. They are announcing today the translation of an educational “teaser” Web site about these ripoffs into French. The new French translation. The new Web site is in English and also in Spanish Developer and Marketers of “Supreme Greens with MSM” Settle FTC Charges Product Marketed as Able to Prevent, Treat, and Cure Heart Disease, Arthritis, and Diabetes Direct Marketing Concepts charged Three individuals and two companies have settled Federal Trade Commission charges over their roles in the deceptive marketing of Supreme Greens, an herbal supplement. The FTC has alleged that these defendants and others promoted the product for the prevention, treatment, and cure of cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes. They also touted Supreme Greens’ ability to cause substantial weight loss. Velform Sauna Belt ripoff Globemedia's ROB-Television promotes bogus weight loss device Velform's Sauna Belt - what the public needs to know The Velform Sauna Belt scam is now in Canada. I was watching the infomercial on Report on Business television at 2:30 a.m. on September 5, 2005 and could not believe what I was watching. I was amazed that they were allowed to sell this product in this country in the first place. The infomercial reminded me of the earlier AbTronics commercials that were cited by the FTC in the U.S. and other agencies around the world as being deceptive. Hydro-Gel Slim Patch" and "Slenderstrip makers settle with FTC Canadian Marketers of Fraudulent Weight-Loss Products Pay Redress to Settle FTC Charges October 12, 2004 FTC settlement DietFraud.com links to scam A Canadian-based fulfillment company doing business as Beauty Visions Worldwide and SlimShop, and its principal Robert Van Velzen, have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they made false and unsubstantiated weight-loss claims for two purported weight-loss patches - "Hydro-Gel Slim Patch" and "Slenderstrip." Under the terms of the settlement, the defendants are prohibited from representing, or assisting any other entity in representing, that Hydro-Gel Slim Patch, Slenderstrip, or any other weight-loss product causes rapid or substantial weight loss without the need to diet or exercise. The defendants also are required to pay consumer redress. CortiSlim™ - FTC and Lawsuits FTC Targets Products Claiming to Affect the Stress Hormone Cortisol October 5, 2004 The latest news Infomercial TV and radio king Dr. Shawn Talbott sued Superior Court of California #04CC00610 A nationwide consumer class action lawsuit was filed on July 12, 2004 against the manufacturer and distributor of the popular dietary supplement CortiSlim™. Filed on behalf of named residents of 26 different states, the suit seeks to represent a class of consumers nationwide who have purchased CortiSlim™ based on its allegedly misleading advertising claims. "There's no such thing as a magic diet pill," said Jeff Carton, one of the attorneys representing the class of plaintiffs. "Our lawsuit alleges that this is a product that unfairly preys upon consumers and makes false claims which science can't support." The suit charges CortiSlim™ with using a series of misleading infomercials in which the human body's ability to regulate weight loss is allgedly linked to the body's production of a chemical substance called cortisol. Contrary to defendants' advertisments, the suit contends that defendants' marketing claims are unsubstantiated and lack a valid scientific basis. The suit seeks a refund for all consumers who purchased CortiSlim™, the disgorgement of profits and a ban on the continuation of defendants' misleading advertising campaign. SlimWeigh™ - Slim chances on Country Music Radio Why is a Tennessee entrepreneur doing business with Canadian media conglomerate? Click here for the whole story of one of the wierdest products to come down the Tennessee turnpike since Body Solutions. Yes, it's another "lose weight while you sleep" scheme to take advantage of loose regulations up here in Canada. We just can't wait for this weight loss miracle to run out of gas and leave Corus Entertainment with a big fat zero in their credit department. Online pharmacies can be dangerous States lay charges against online drugstores Search Google for pharmacy online "attorney general" - Don't buy any diet drugs on-line if you value your life. When you click on the link above you will learn that State law enforcement officers are going after the thousands of unethical offshore, and domestic online pharmacies who may be selling you dangerous or counterfeit drugs. Internet Drug Sales - Congressional Hearing - March 19, 2004 Buyer Beware: The Danger of Purchasing Pharmaceuticals Over The Internet U.S. Senate - June, 17 2004 Internet pharmacies are a relatively new response to the problem of high cost medicines. Some Internet pharmacies are completely legal operations, set up to offer clients convenience and cost savings. They require patient prescriptions and deliver medications from U.S.-approved facilities. Other internet pharmacies operate illegally, selling medications without prescriptions and using unapproved manufacturers either in the United States or offshore. Some shadowy operations send unsolicited offers to millions of Internet users, hawking medications like junk food bargains. These illegal operators have begun to capture attention as a health and safety threat requiring criminal and civil enforcement action, and I commend Chairman Coleman for focusing on this problem and holding this inquiry today. GAO found that buying medications from Internet pharmacies was not difficult. GAO placed 90 online orders for prescription drugs and received 68 samples, a success rate of 75 percent. Of those 68 medications, 45 were shipped illegally, because there had been no patient-provided prescription. Many were also shipped without FDA-required precautions such as patient instructions and temperature-controlled packaging. Of the 68 samples, 48 were from U.S. or Canadian based Internet pharmacies, 18 were from foreign sites, and two could not be determined. Of the 18 foreign samples, three were found to be counterfeit, including two that contained incorrect but not necessarily dangerous chemical compositions and one that had no active ingredients at all. As mentioned earlier, GAO determined that none of the U.S. or Canadian samples were counterfeit, evidence suggesting that medications delivered from other foreign countries were less safe than those originating in the United States or Canada. A System Overwhelmed: The Avalanche of Imported, Counterfeit and Unapproved Drugs in the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs FDA remains concerned about the public health implications of personally imported prescription drugs and the introduction of counterfeit drugs into the stream of commerce. In our experience, many drugs obtained from foreign sources that either purport to be or appear to be the same as U.S.-approved prescription drugs are, in fact, of unknown quality. FDA cannot assure the American public that drugs imported from foreign countries are the same as products approved by FDA. Internet Drug Sales Attacked by Kansas Attorney General According to the Attorney General, some of these companies sold the prescription-only medication Viagra, in addition to other drugs. One company sold the diet drugs Meridia and Phentermine, both controlled substances that can have serious side effects and are not recommended for people with certain conditions and using certain medications. FTC challenges claims for children's weight-loss pill and women's sex aid Dynamic Health of Florida - FTC Press Release FTC's Children's Advertising Complaints - Pedia Loss claims bogus The FTC has charged three Florida-based companies and their principals with making false and unsubstantiated claims that "Pedia Loss" is an appetite suppressant for children 6 and older that slows the absorption of fat and safely burn[s] fat. The Commission's administrative complaint names Dynamic Health of Florida, LLC; Chhabra Group LLC; DBS Laboratories, LLC; Vineet Chhabra, also known as Vincent Chhabra; and Jonathan Barash. Pedia Loss was advertised through www.pedialoss.com, www.dynamichealthproducts.com, and www.dbslabs.com, and in Cosmopolitan magazine. Vincent Chhabra previously charged with internet pharmacy scams - So what is this guy doing running a company that scams people with children's weight loss junk? Feds crack down on Internet pharmacy operators BY JOHN DORSCHNER jdorschner@herald.com Alleging that he led an ongoing criminal enterprise that raked in more than $125 million, a federal grand jury in Virginia Wednesday released an indictment against Vincent Chhabra, 32, a South Florida kingpin in the Internet pharmacy business, and nine others. The 108-count indictment focuses on charges that Chhabra and the others used many websites -- including get-it-on-.com -- to illegally sell controlled substances, mostly diet pills, without requiring that customers first be physically examined by doctors. The indictment also seeks to recover money from several dozen bank accounts connected with Chhabra, including ones in the Bahamas and India, plus the forfeiture of 72 pieces of jewelry and 15 luxury cars, among them five Mercedes-Benzes, four BMWs and an Aston Martin. Also indicted were Chhabra's sister, Sabina S. Faruqui, 30; an uncle, Sunil K. Sethi, 48; a Virginia pharmacist and physicians from Ohio, Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia. Widow sues Vincent Chhabra of Net drugstore The wife of a 57-year-old Fort Lauderdale man is suing a former Internet entrepreneur, alleging that his companies sold diet pills over the Web that caused the man's death. The suit, filed in Broward circuit court last week by Laura Ritzert Neale, accuses Vincent Chhabra and companies that he once controled of selling her husband, Corey Neale, Phentermine pills based only questions that he answered online. Besides Chhabra, the defendants include RxNetwork of South Florida, a pharmacy that Chhabra closed down after the Drug Enforcement Administration yanked its license to sell controlled substances; USA Prescription, the Web business in Broward that ran many sites selling drugs; and William Dean Thompson, a Missouri doctor who allegedly wrote the prescription. SmartSource scams Check your Weekend newspaper coupon supplement for SBM-GIGA-MAGTAB - May 2004 Aebion diet patch Cellu-Fight Slimdown Fast HydroGel Slimpatch Neoform 3000 Valassis coupon scams Check your Weekend newspaper coupon supplement for Slim-Within - Fall 2002 The NEW Skinny Pill - Zyladex Plus - January 27, 2002 Reviewed by SupplementWatch Lose up to 15 pounds a week with the amazing formula that forces your body to release fat! As much as 4 inches and 50% of all excess fat gone in just 14 days! EpilStop - hair removal by Igia REPORT IGIA TO NYC AG AND FTC - ADDRESSES HERE Warnings on Natural Health Products Health Canada Actions Latest Health Canada Warnings Thermonex warnings - Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Thermonex capsules, which are being advertised for weight loss, water loss and to help boost thyroid output. This product could cause serious adverse effects, including death. Thermonex contains synephrine, which is similar to ephedrine and may have similar adverse effects such as hypertension and cardiovascular toxicity. These adverse effects could lead to stroke, heart attack and/or death. Health Canada has previously advised consumers against the use of ephedrine-containing products, especially those containing caffeine and other stimulants*. Thermonex also contains high levels of the stimulant caffeine and other ingredients which increase the effects of synephrine. Many other health products advertised for weight loss, and containing "bitter orange extract" may also contain synephrine. Search Google Latest News on Thermonex Health Canada Search for HERBAL WARNINGS Health Canada alerts Canadians to Pan Pharmaceuticals Ltd. products recall in Australia Warning not to consume traditional Chinese medicines containing tricosanthes and indicated for children Hua Fo sex herb contains Viagra - if it's Chinese it must be be hard to identify an erection PC SPES and SPES contaminated - how does a tranquilizer and a rat poison sound for good prostate health, eh? V-KING and V-KING EXTRA - These "natural health products" may contain sildenafil citrate (VIAGRA), a drug approved as a prescription drug for male erectile dysfunction. Inappropriate use of sildenafil citrate could cause severe adverse reactions. Ephedra and ma huang recalled by Health Canada - January 8, 2002 Health Canada is requesting a recall from the market of certain products containing Ephedra/ephedrine after a risk assessment concluded that these products pose a serious risk to health. Adverse events including stroke, heart attacks, heart rate irregularities, seizures, psychoses and deaths have been reported in association with the use of some products containing Ephedra/ephedrine. Ephedra refers to several related species of herbs. Ephedrine is one of many chemical derivatives of this herb. Xenadrine hammered by U.S. judge News Searches Google News Search - Pay attention to the case in California, especially the NY Times piece that discusses the negative studies by the University of Guelph. You may have to sign up for some of the news services. Most of them are free. NY Times - June 23, 2003 - When a California judge handed down a $12.5 million false-advertising judgment against the maker of an ephedra-based weight-loss pill late last month, he also issued what amounted to a bill of reproach against the science of dietary supplements. Muscletech was unhappy with another study, by the University of Guelph in Ontario, that found Hydroxycut did not "burn fat," a claim made by many companies that sell ephedra. The company was unable to keep Guelph from publishing the results, but demanded that its product name be removed from publications. More on ephedra FDA Actions and Reports Remove Comfrey Products From the Market - July 6, 2001 Green Kingdom Herbs contaminated - April 4, 2001 Prescription Drugs Again Found in Herbal Products Some Brands of Dietary Supplement 5HTP Tainted Samples of six brands of a popular dietary supplement have been found to be tainted with a chemical contaminant, raising concerns about the product's safety, researchers report in a study published today. (There's a Canadian connection here) GBL ALERT - (Jan 21, 1999) FDA warns about products containing Gamma Butyrolactone or GBL and asks companies to issue a recall. Ginseng contaminated with toxic pesticides Don't Buy Phony "Ergogenic Aids"- Quackwatch Proteabolic - Policing Cyberspace Chromium Picolinate Companies Advertizing Chromium Picolinate Can't substantiate weight loss and health benefit claims, says FTC. According to the FTC's Jodie Bernstein, Americans spend about $33 billion a year on weight loss products, programs and services. "There's only one way people can tell the sizzle from the substance when it comes to these kinds of claims," she said. "Subject them to a healthy dose of skepticism." Over the years, the FTC has brought more than 140 cases against companies making deceptive weight loss and health benefits claims. Creatine monohydrate Young athletes try creatine; adults hold their breath The strength training supplement, popular among pro and college athletes, has filtered down to the high school set. This unsettles adults, who doubt the young athletes understand what creatine does and don't know how many teens are involved. The National Federation of State High School Associations, a governing body for high school sports, says high school officials, including coaches, should not condone supplement use. Creatine: A Review of Efficacy and Safety Journal of American Pharmaceutical Association - Review article Although many trials have studied the effects of creatine, high-quality research is lacking. Studies have employed very small sample sizes and produced variable results. Furthermore, the results observed in highly trained athletes cannot necessarily be extrapolated to the general public. It is also not clear whether individual variations in baseline creatine levels affect the efficacy of supplementation. Little information exists on the short-term or long-term safety of creatine. Drug interactions with most supplements, including creatine, have not been studied. Oral Creatine Supplementation - Physician and Sports Medicine - (May 5, 1999) There is concern that the "win at all costs" attitude has become too prevalent in today's sports-oriented society. Adolescents are the most easily influenced age-group, yet they are the least studied with respect to sport supplementation. Regardless of whether creatine is ergogenic or not, does its prevalent use send the wrong message? Would the use of creatine and other supplements steer athletes away from the most reliable and safe method of enhancing performance, namely practice and dedicated training? Dangers of Creatine NPR's commentator Diana Nyad thinks that creatine could be dangerous. The naturally occuring substance is popular among athletes, who believe it helps increase muscle mass. (RealPlayer 3:30) Creatine Vox NPR's Michael Henessey of Hugo's Market in Washington, D.C., talks about the increased sale of creatine and who's buying it. Creatine NPR's Noah Adams speaks with Sports Illustrated writer Michael Bamberger about creatine, an unregulated dietary supplement that is becoming increasingly popular among professional athletes and teenagers. Bamberger says it helps build muscles and cuts recovery time after a workout - allowing the user to get bigger, faster, and stronger. Combined with rigorous training, creatine can increase strength by at least five percent. Although no major side-effects have been detected, many caution that we don't know enough to be sure that it is safe. Florida High School Athletic Coaches Warn Against Creatine Monhydrate The Truth about Creatine Monohydrate? For Athletes, Creatine Monhydrate Has Powerful Lure The diet supplement creatine monoxydrate, used to build up muscle strength, is a popular among athletes. Don't count Astros outfielder Derek Bell among them: Bell headed to the weight room this winter, after stopping first at the health food store to pick up some creatine. His decision produced a pair of side trips - two stays in the hospital for treatment of kidney ailments. Bell told the Houston Chronicle in Friday editions that it was his use - or misuse - of creatine monohydrate that landed him in the hospital. Deaths Force Changes in Wrestling Many coaches and athletes agree it is time to expose the sports' subculture and eliminate the pressure - and danger - of drastically cutting weight. MMWR - Hyperthermia and Dehydration-Related Deaths associated with intentional rapid weight loss in three collegiate wrestlers. North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Michigan, November-December 1997

Product Recalls    "Fat Burning" pads scorch users Consumers should not use heating pad-style devices sold as a way to help the overweight sweat off pounds because they can catch fire and have seriously burned some people, the Food and Drug Administration warned today.