I hate to say I told you so, but…I told you so.
“Airborne, however, when used as directed does not prevent class-action lawsuits, charges of deceptive advertising — or, according to the government, the common cold.
“There is no credible evidence that Airborne products . . . will reduce the severity or duration of colds, or provide any tangible benefit for people who are exposed to germs in crowded places,” said Lydia Parnes, director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, which filed a complaint against Airborne’s makers.
The remedy prescribed by the FTC is for Airborne to pay consumers back for as many as six purchases, a nationwide total of as much as $30 million.”
Yeah. “Created by a school teacher.” Ok, so? Never made a lick of sense to me…
I’ve been saying that for years…
In addition, I’ve always warned people away from it due to its dosage instructions. I’m not sure if they’ve changed it, as my information is based on the label I read a few years ago.
There’s 100% RDA of Vitamin A (Retinyl palmitate) in each tablet. When flying, you’re instructed to take one tablet every four hours. That’s 600% the RDA dose in a 24 hour period. Retinyl palmitate is TOXIC! Its boggled my mind that this was considered “safe” for human consumption!
You’ll notice that many multivitamins with “mega” vitamin doses are mixing retinyl palmitate with beta-carotene to give you a high Vit A dosage. That’s okay, beta-carotene is a precursor to Vitamin A and your body converts its “as needed”. You can’t OD on beta-carotene. Take too much, and you’re just wasting your money, not your liver. 🙂
IMHO unless you’ve got an absorptive deficiency or are living on a truly spectacularly-dysfunctional diet, there’s *no* need for vitamin-supplements.
Still, I don’t have any problems either with the ides of fools being separated from their money.
Or attending/running a convention and eating poorly, as I’ve been known to do from time to time. 🙂
The one that got me were the “HEAD ON” crap.
PEOPLE.. It Is A Stick Of WAX!! It has no active ingredients. BUT I know people who swear by all there crap.
And the “Smilin Bob” Excite Ads.. again. NO Active Ingredients.
Both groups are getting their asses sued off, but will keep selling their crap until the FTC drags their fake crap to the dump.
Ah, but notice that they never make any claims in the “Head On” ads. They just tell you to apply it directly to the forehead.
For a minute I thought I was going to read a reference to Head On that didn’t include the slogan.
Thanks, you’ve restored my sense of an orderly universe.
psychosomatic
out of curiosity I’d like to hear from the people whom this product worked. i.e They believed in it so much that it really did work for them
Re: psychosomatic
Actually, there are many people who swear that this worked for them. The placebo effect is a powerful thing, as has been demonstrated time and time again. But that doesn’t justify fleecing people with snake oil, y’know?
I hate to say I told you so, but…I told you so.
Me, too.
Umm the lawsuit is about the claim that it prevents or cures colds. If you read what is in the stuff; everything in there is good for you and gets into your system faster then just popping pills.
All I know if I’ve used this stuff for years. I’ve gone without just to see what happens and I can honestly say Airborne does shorten the duration of a cold.
Good! The first time I took the stuff, I was fine..the next time, I got an intestinal reaction (I’m a skunk..you figure it out x.x)
Glad she was a teacher..I can only imagine what she taught her classes 😛
But the suit never contends whether or not the stuff works in all of the population, some of the population or none of the population, only that a company made a particular claim without the legally prescribed due diligence.
Ironically the center of the issue is how people tend to read one thing and take it to mean something else because they desperately want it to be true. 😉
remember me?
aka Lady Sibyl OKirwan…
Amanda here… just kinda accidentally found you while looking up SCA in GA.
I don’t play SCA anymore but I thnk about maybe getting involved again… looks like you don’t play that anymore either.
Anyway, I’m married, almost 3 years now and my son just turned 2. Come see us ay my blog for him sometime… I remember you fondly and I hope all is going well for you.
BTW, I lived in Raliegh area from ’04 to ’07 myself. Funny. anyway, Take care
http://www.gradyacgphotoalbum.blogspot.com/