A lot of publicity on health supplements in the market is directed at an aging and health-conscious population with claims of better health and cures for illnesses and ailments.
Marketing forces are reaching out to these elderly people by means of free health tests or seminars, where the seniors are lured by free gifts and endorsements from "experts" and "users" before they "surrendered" their credit cards to be swiped for products costing huge sums of money.
Some of these marketing activities took place at shopping malls on short-term tenancy to attract nearby customers. While these companies will move out or cease business after a period of time, consumers may find it difficult to make a claim should problems arise.
The Consumer Council warned that health supplements are not necessarily suitable for everybody, it is not only a waste of money if the products do not work to the benefits of the consumer, it can also be hazardous to health, or even life-threatening.
Two cases highlighted in the April issue of CHOICE help demonstrate the risks.
Case 1: Acute pain in chest after intake of slimming product
An elderly woman was taken to a company where she was recommended a "chlorella supplement" by a "doctor" who claimed to have a master degree. She was told to take a total of 90 tablets of the supplement three times per day for its detoxifying and slimming effects. The consumer eventually bought 4 packets with 4,000 tablets in total for $1,600.
After taking the "chlorella supplement" for 3 weeks, the consumer suddenly felt acute pain in her chest. The elderly woman was sent to hospital and she regained consciousness after resuscitation. Later she was sent to the intensive care unit for further treatment. The consumer was told by the doctor that her condition was probably caused by an excessive taking of the supplement, which contains Vitamin K, a blood thickener for patients on warfarin. Her daughter queried about the safety of the supplement and took her mother's case to the Consumer Council.
Case 2: Misleading claims about product's suitability for diabetes
An elderly man was recommended by his neighbour to attend a health seminar where he was persuaded to buy an "enzyme product" of Chinese herbal formula with free gifts. He was told that the tablets, costing $4,400 a packet with 3 bottles each inside, were good for diabetics like him. He finally bought six packets but found that the bottles only carry labels in Japanese.
Soon after taking a bottle of tablets, the consumer felt sick. When he went to consult the doctor, he was told that the calories contained in the product were too high for him with diabetes. The blood glucose test also revealed his blood sugar had gone up by 2 units. The consumer took his complaint to the Consumer Council for refund. After mediation, the company agreed to provide refund for the five unopened packets.
Apart from these two cases, the Consumer Council had received dozens of complaints regarding the efficacy and sales of health food and supplements each year. In 2009 and 2010, the Council received 91 and 78 cases respectively. In the first quarter of 2011, a total of 16 cases had been received so far.
Consumers are reminded of the following when buying health food and supplements:
- Seniors are advised to consult their family or family doctor before they join health seminars or purchase health supplements. Their family members are also recommended to pay more attention to their needs.
- Consumers should read the content of the products carefully and study the claims to see if they are supported by solid evidence.
- The "Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance" prohibits the advertising of medicine or treatment for certain illnesses like cancer, heart diseases, respiratory diseases and gastro-intestinal diseases. Consumers can report to the Department of Health for any suspected violations of laws.
The Consumer Council reserves all its right (including copyright) in respect of CHOICE Magazine and Online CHOICE ( https://echoice.consumer.org.hk/ ).