Weekly Posting 5 Airborne

The story of Airborne is an example of what is wrong with our supplement regulation. Airborne was a popular supplement that "boosts your immune system to help your body combat germs", however the Center for Science in the Public Interest and others filed a class-action law suit claiming false advertising.

In settlement to the suit, the manufacturer - Airborne Health, Inc - Agreed to pay 23.3 million to refund consumers who purchased the product (if they have proof of purchase). The company fooled the consumers in the first place because the regulation surrounding supplements was too lax, allowing the company to make structure/function claims under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. The company could make claims that their product would help a consumer live a better life without any FDA oversight as long as on the product and in advertising they included a disclaimer stating that the claims have not been reviewed by the FDA.

Overall, including the cost to settle the suit, Airborne still was a money maker, and as long as products like this can actually make money by fooling consumers the problem will never leave. after all how do we know that supplements do what they say anyways?

What do you guys think about this? should we require testing by law? or should an organization offer certification like NSF International?