On January 7, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that consumers who purchased the Iovate Health dietary supplements Accelis, nanoSLIM, Cold MD, Germ MD, or Allergy MD between January 2006 and July 2010 may qualify for a refund.

The refunds will be paid by Iovate Health Sciences as part of a $5.5 million agreement to settle the FTC's charges that the company, along with two affiliate companies, made false advertising claims and promoted these products as treatments for colds, allergies and other medical conditions.

Consumers can apply for a refund online or by calling 1-877-576-9978 to request a claim form. The deadline for refund requests if April 1, 2013. Claims may be submitted for up to five of a single type of product, and for a total of up to 10 products per person; however, consumers who have already received a refund from an earlier class action settlement involving Cold MD are not eligible to receive a second payment.

Accelis contains Lagerstroemia speciosa extract, caffeine-free green tea extract, caffeine-free oolong tea extract, caffeine-free white tea extract, chamomile, extract, passion flower extract and soy phospholipids. It was promoted for weight loss.

nanoSLIM contains Lagerstroemia speciosa , Cordia salicifolia extract, green coffee extract, Fucus vesiculosus and Fucus serratus powder and was promoted as the "World’s Smallest WeightLoss Solution."

(See ConsumerLab.com's Reviews Green Tea Supplements, Green Coffee Supplements and Weight Loss Supplements for tests of related products.)

Cold MD contains vitamin C, zinc and a blend of herbs including ginseng, echinacea and ginger powder. It was promoted for the treatment of cold and flu.

Germ MD contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, manganese and a blend of herbs including ginseng, echinacea extract, elderberry extract and noni extract. It was promoted for the treatment of cold and flu.

(See ConsumerLab.com's Review Article on Noni for more information about this ingredient and Reviews of Vitamin C Supplements, Vitamin E Supplements, Zinc Supplements, Selenium Supplements, Ginseng Supplements and Echinacea Supplements for tests of products that contain some of these ingredients.)

Allergy MD contains Petacites japonicas extract, white willow extract, n-acatyl cysteine, pantethine, picrorhiza kurroa extract, vinepocetine and rosemary extract. It was promoted to treat allergies and hay fever.

Iovate agreed to settle another lawsuit last year after its weight loss supplement Hydroxycut was associated with dangerous side effects and recalled.

See ConsumerLab.com's Reviews of Chromium Supplements and Weight Loss Supplements for tests of Hydroxycut and other weight loss products.

For more details about this refund, use the link below.