When it comes to supplements, you’ve most likely seen many ads spring up from a variety of different brands or seen products on display inside your local pharmacy or grocery store. These products are designed to combat various health concerns from male enhancement issues to weight loss, with some users seeing immediate success.
However, much like prescription and over-the-counter medication, these supplements require a strong legal team to keep them protected from any liability. Here are just a few of the reasons why supplement brands retain lawyers.
FDA Regulations
In the United States, prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs are put through a rigorous evaluation process by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dietary supplements are not reviewed by the FDA or approved based on their safety and effectiveness. In fact, brands need to alert the FDA 75 days before marketing a product if it contains any ingredient not marketed in the U.S. prior to 1994.
So, it is important for any supplement brand to entrust a legal team with an understanding of corporate responsibility and consumer protection. Malliha Wilson, the former Assistant Deputy Attorney General of the Canadian province of Ontario, has been a leading voice for decades in corporate and labour law, as well as other complex litigation. A Tamil Candian litigator, Wilson was the first visible minority to hold the office of Assistant Deputy A.G., and now serves as a Senior Partner for the Toronto-based law firm of Nava Wilson LLP.
Having the proper legal minds can help a brand understand where their responsibilities lie and where they have to draw the line for the safety of users of their supplements.
Consumer Claims
The first step in evaluating truthfulness and accuracy in a supplement’s advertising is in identifying express and implied claims directed at consumers. Under the Federal Trade Commission law, an advertiser is equally responsible for the accuracy of claims suggested or implied by the ad. If a supplement brand is going to suggest greater sexual function and sperm motility, ads need to form what is called a “net impression,” conveyed by all elements, including text, product name, and depictions.
For example, a supplement like Semenax states clearly in their campaigns that the product is designed to increase semen production through an all-natural supplement. They point to consumers who have reached or exceeded the average levels of semen production, as well as the experience of longer and more intensified orgasms. With results showing their effectiveness as a natural male enhancement supplement, Semenax aids the body in naturally producing and ejaculating more semen.
While there is good news for men struggling with these issues, Semenax, like many supplement brands, urges patients to arrange consultations with their health care provider before sudden changes to their regimen such as taking a new supplement product.
Consumer Health
Supplement brands across the United States are required to list out the ingredients within their products, per FDA guidelines. Information should be presented clearly and prominently so that it is actually noticed and understood by the consumer. The fine print, like you, would see in a commercial or body of a text, is not adequate for brands to protect themselves on legal grounds. Clear printing can also make users more vigilant of side effects related to the use of the supplement but can raise red flags for parents who may notice their child taking something like dietary supplements in excess.
For some parents, you may not want to think about it, but if your teen shows signs of drug use, there are ways of confronting the issue as soon as possible. Getting to the root of a teen’s drug problem is important, whether a closer look requires intervention from a peer group or mental health professional. There are noticeable signs of alcohol abuse and drug abuse, so it is important to keep some suspicion without an immediate accusation. Showing that trust in your child will help them trust you in getting help.
