Walking through the supplement section I noticed the folks selling the Hollywood 24 Hour Miracle Diet had a floor display loaded with this product that is basically a $25 bottle of juice. The header card on the display proclaimed “LOSE UP TO 5 POUNDS IN 24 HOURS.”
Last year NBN heard rumors that FDA agents were cruising the show floor looking for violations, finding some and making offending manufacturers remove the unapproved goods. While we never were able to confirm if this indeed occurred we wish someone from the FDA been with us. Here’s why.
I asked someone at the booth about the claim. In response they were nonchalant, seemingly surprised that someone might be skeptical about losing 5 pounds in a day. Probing further I noted that you’re lawyers must have worked overtime before this display was approved, to which he replied with a mere “sure,” adding that TrimSpa and others were the ones cited and fined by the FDA not them.
I asked a few more skeptical questions and was told that the company had clinical studies supporting the 5 pounds in 24 hours claim. Here’s the moment when I was both shocked and sad, both for the guy who really didn’t know what he was talking about and more importantly for all those people gullible enough to buy it. When I asked if I could see the study I was no. When I pressed the issue, I then asked it depends who is asking. When told I was press, the marketing guy told me that studies were proprietary and not available for public review, but that the FDA had them on file.
PT Barnum is smiling folks.