Complain about a product or service

Airborne Agrees to Stop 'Cold Remedy' Claims

Company will pay $7 million to 33 states

December 16, 2008
The makers of a widely-advertised dietary supplement have agreed to pay $7 million to 33 states and to stop promoting their product as a cure for the common cold. It's the second big penalty for Airborne. In August, the company agreed to pay the Federal Trade Commission $30 million.

“Airborne dramatically misrepresented its products as cold remedies without any scientific evidence to back up its claims,” California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. said. “Under this agreement, the company will stop advertisements that suggest that its products are a cure for the common cold.”

Airborne began selling its products as a cold remedy on the Internet around July 2000 and on television in 2004. In its advertisements, Airborne featured people suffering from cold and flu symptoms and made unsupported statements suggesting its products were a cure for the common cold. These included:

• “Airborne Cold Remedy”
• “A Miracle Cold Buster!”
• “Sick of Catching Colds?”
• “Take at the first sign of a cold symptom.”

The company also requested that retailers sell Airborne products in the cold/cough aisle.

• Herbal Drugs Can Be Lethal, Pathologist Warns • Can Antioxidants Be Harmful? • Study: Ginkgo Biloba Doesn't Slow Cognitive Decline • Idaho Company Recalls 65 Bodybuilding Supplements • Massachusetts Man Sentenced For Nationwide Internet Prescription Drug Scheme • FDA Warns Against Bodybuilding Products Containing Steroids • FDA Hits Three Dietary Supplement Makers • Guilty Plea in Dietary Supplements Marketing Scam • Two Hydroxycut Class Actions Filed • Feds Destroy Body-Building Supplements • FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using Hydroxycut Weight-Loss Products • FDA Falls Short in Regulating Dietary Supplements • Researchers Cast Doubt on Role of Free Radicals in Aging • Another Study Discounts Vitamin Benefits • Study Questions Vitamin Benefits For Kids • Airborne Agrees to Stop 'Cold Remedy' Claims • Airborne Health to Pay FTC $30 Million for False Claims • 'Natural' Products Can Be Dangerous for Seniors • Antioxidant Users Don't Live Longer, Study Finds • Safety of Multivitamins Questioned • Vitamin Supplements May Increase Cancer Risk, Report Warns • Cancer Warning Urged for Beta-Carotene Supplements • Researchers Find Some "Health" Supplements Risky • Vitamin B May Harm, Not Help, Heart Patients • Vitamin Supplements May Increase Cancer Risk --- • More about Nutrition ...

To substantiate their claims, Airborne relied upon studies that claimed the major ingredients in their products — Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Zinc — prevent colds. However, subsequent definitive studies found that these ingredients do not have any discernable effect to prevent colds. Despite the information, Airborne continued to market its products as cold remedies.

Investigators raised concerns about the levels of Vitamin A in Airborne products. In older formulations, Airborne contained 5,000 International Units of Vitamin A. If the product was taken as instructed, consumers would ingest up to 15,000 International Units of Vitamin A daily.

This amount of Vitamin A poses potential health risks to vulnerable populations, including children and pregnant women. During the negotiation process, Airborne reformulated its product to contain only 2,000 International Units of Vitamin A.

Under today’s agreement with 33 states, Airborne Inc. agreed:

• Not to make any claim concerning the health benefit, performance, efficacy or safety of its dietary supplements.
• Not to make any claims that imply that Airborne can diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat, or cure colds, coughs, the flu, an upper respiratory infection or allergies.
• Not to require, demand, or otherwise influence where a retailer places Airborne, Inc. products, such as in the cold and cough aisle.
• Not to market any product that contains directions for use that would, if followed, result in an individual ingesting 15,000 International Units of Vitamin A per day.
• Pay a total of $7 million to the states.

Today’s settlement covers all Airborne products including:

• Airborne- Original
• Airborne- Pink Grapefruit
• Airborne- Lemon Lime
• Airborne- Nighttime
• Airborne- Jr. On-The-Go
• Airborne- Seasonal Relief
• Airborne- Sore Throat Gummi Lozenges
• Airborne- Soothing Throat Gummi Lozenges
• Airborne- Power Pixies

The states involved in today’s settlement include Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, The District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Follow us on Twitter.