Announced Actions for September 19, 1997

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the following actions.

Consent agreements given final approval: Following a public comment period on each, the Commission has made final consent agreements with the following entities. The Commission action makes the consent orders binding on the respondents.

• The consent agreement with Efficient Labs, Inc., of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and company officer Blas Reyes-Reyes settles charges that their Spanish-language adver tisements for Venoflash -- a dietary supplement composed of vitamins and plant derivatives -- included unsubstantiated claims that the product will remove dangerous clogs in the circulatory system and treat the symptoms of varicose veins and hemor rhoids. The consent order requires the respondents to have scientific substantiation to back up future representations regarding the health benefits, performance, safety or efficacy of any food, drug, cosmetic or dietary supplement promoted or used to treat conditions or illnesses related to the circulatory system. (See June 26, 1997 news release for more details regarding this case and “Campana Alerta,” a U.S.-Mexico effort to prevent deceptive health-related advertisements directed at Spanish-speaking consumers; Docket No. C-3768; Commission vote on Sept. 12 to issue the order as final was 4-0.) Staff contact is Michael J. Bloom, FTC New York Regional Office, 212-264-1207.
• The consent agreement with Rogerio Monteiro, and Eliana Crema, doing business as Leeka Products out of Glendale, California, settles charges that their Spanish-language advertisements for Super Formula Reductora (a purported weight-loss nutritional supple ment), Crema Sudadora Perfect Shape (promoted as a way to improve the results of exercise) and Tratamiento para Combatir la Caida del Cabello (a purported hair loss product) contained unsubstantiated claims. The FTC also alleged that the Super Formula Reductoria ads contained false claims that scientific studies of chromium picolinate demonstrate that this product will cause weight loss. The consent order requires the respondents to have scientific evidence to support the challenged claims and any other claim they make about the benefits, efficacy or performance of any food, drug, cosmetic or dietary supplement. The order also prohibits them from using the name Tratamiento para Combatir la Caida del Cabello (Treatment to Fight Hair Loss) or other names that represent that a product prevents or retards hair loss unless they can substantiate that it does. Finally, the consent order prohibits the respondents from misrepresenting the existence or conclusions of any test, study or research. (See June 26 news release for more details about this consent agreement and Campana Alerta; Docket No. C-3767; Commission vote on Sept. 12 to issue the order as final was 4-0.) Staff contact is Thomas B. Carter, FTC Dallas Regional Office, 214-979-9350.

Copies of the documents referenced above are available from the FTC’s web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.