Dietary supplement ads review to continue through 2014
The extension of the review, established in October 2006, will be funded by a $959,000 grant from CRN Foundation to the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
Truthful and accurate
NARC communication director Linda Bean told NutraIngeditentsUSA.com that: “We know that consumers use and appreciate alternatives to traditional over-the-counter or prescription products and we strongly believe that the advertising for these products has to be truthful and accurate. The expansion (of the program) will allow the review to look at a greater number of products.”
The program serves both to reassure customers about the accuracy of dietary supplement advertising and to guide manufacturers, she added. “Each decision is amplified beyond the company affected to……establish a precedent……that helps to educate manufacturers about the truth and accuracy of advertising.”
Andrea Levine, NAD director, confirmed: “ Misleading dietary supplement advertising negatively impacts trusting consumers and honest competitors alike. Left unchecked, misleading advertising will undermine the reputation of the entire industry. With CRN’s support, we have demonstrated that self-regulation can play an active and visible role in combating misleading and unsubstantiated dietary supplement claims, but there is still significant work left to be done.”
Product category
CRN funding has allowed NAD to hire an additional attorney responsible for focusing solely on the dietary supplement product category. The attorney targets claims that are deceptive or misleading which go beyond what is supported by research and allowed by law. To identify suspect advertising NAD reviews national advertising including print, broadcast, infomercials and Internet advertising. It also investigates complaints made by consumers and manufacturers.
Steve Mister, CRN president and CEO said: “In the three years this program has been in existence, it has gained momentum and widespread attention, becoming an example of responsibility for our industry.”
The year before the monitoring initiative began, NAD opened fewer than 10 cases involving dietary supplement advertising. During the first three years of the program NAD opened more than 75 cases, with almost all resulting in voluntary compliance.
