Pharmavite Discontinues Certain Claims for NatureMade Products, Action NAD Found Necessary

New York, NY – Feb. 10, 2014 – Pharmavite LLC, the maker of NatureMade Letter Vitamins, Fish Oil, Flaxseed Oil, CoQ10 and Diabetes Health Pack Supplements, has discontinued broadcast advertising that was the focus of a National Advertising Division inquiry and has said it will better disclose the source of its “#1 Pharmacist Recommended” claims.

NAD is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation. It is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

NAD requested substantiation for the following claims:

•  “#1 Pharmacist Recommended Letter Vitamin Brand” * US News and World Report – Pharmacy Times Survey.
•  “2013 #1 Winners of the Pharmacy Times Survey Results: Fish Oil, Flaxseed Oil, CoQ10 and Diabetes Health Pack.”

The advertiser’s “#1 Pharmacist Recommended Letter Vitamin Brand” claim appeared in a television commercial and on its website. NAD was concerned that, especially in the television commercial, the disclosure “US News and World Report – Pharmacy Times Survey” was not clear and conspicuous.

In response to NAD’s inquiry, advertiser said the challenged television commercial had been permanently discontinued and that it would present the disclosure more prominently in future advertising.

NAD noted in its decision that it appreciated that the advertiser voluntarily undertook to permanently discontinue the challenged television commercial and promised to make its disclosures more prominent (easy to notice, read and understand) in future advertising, actions that NAD determined was necessary and proper.

The company, in its advertiser’s statement, said that it was “pleased that the NAD has decided to discontinue this matter and we will abide by NAD’s recommendations in future advertising.”