National Advertising Division In Brief
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Firm complies with FTC testimonial guidance: Health King Enterprise & Balanceuticals Group Inc. discontinues a testimonial of atypical results for JointFlexer, even though it included a disclaimer, because Federal Trade Commission guidance dictates ads must express typical results, according to a May 20 release from the National Advertising Division (1"The Tan Sheet" Oct. 12, 2009). The Council of Better Business Bureaus division also recommended that Health King distinguish when claims apply to the overall supplement or to specific ingredients. NAD suggested the Chicago firm clarify claims - such as "promotes absorption of calcium and effectively inhibits joint degeneration" - are based on ingredient studies because "there is no research on the product," only on the individual ingredients. Similarly, NAD recommended the firm clarify the claim "used for centuries, proven by clinical trials and research in China" applies to herbal ingredients in JointFlexer and not the product or other ingredients. NAD also recommended the firm increase the dose of glucosamine from 1,125 mg daily to at least the minimum effective daily dose of 1,200 mg or discontinue claims linked to the ingredient