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Posted June 15, 2003

FTC Alleges "Heartbar" Made Deceptive Claims About Effectiveness

On June 12, 2003, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Unither Pharma, Inc. and United Therapeutics Corporation have agreed to settle FTC charges that they made deceptive claims in advertising for their HeartBar product. The respondents represented that HeartBar – a chewy food bar and powder containing the amino acid L-Arginine – reduces the risk of developing heart disease, reverses damage to the heart, reduces or eliminates heart disease patients’ need for surgery and medications, and substantially decreases leg pain in people with cardiovascular disease. The FTC alleges that these claims were deceptive, in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act, because they are not supported by scientific evidence. The proposed settlement announced today prohibits the respondents from repeating these type of claims for HeartBar and other L-Arginine products unless they have adequate scientific support. It also bars them from making any unsubstantiated claims about the health benefits, performance, or efficacy of any food, medical food, or dietary supplement used in or marketed for the treatment, cure, or prevention of cardiovascular disease.

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