Airborne Lawsuit.
January 12, 2009 - 9:37 am 8 Comments
I heard about this the other day…
Apparently airborne is simply an overpriced vitamin and not a “cure all” after all. (read more)
We’ve taken this for a couple of years, with other vitamins, so I can’t imagine how much money we’ve wasted on this!
Now apparently, they are marketing this product more as a vitamin, and not a way to prevent getting sick, or curing a current cold.
*Do you take Airborne?
January 12th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I’ve never take Airborne, but I have increased my vitamin intake when I feel sickness coming on. It doesn’t appear that this product ever really claimed to be anything more than a vitamin, mineral, and herb supplement. It’s probably not much different than what many people do when they feel a cold coming on — start taking large doses of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and several other things. Saw this on their website FAQ:
Q: I’ve heard there are lawsuits against the company. What are they about and are they still going on?
A: Sad to say, just about every company in the U.S. has to deal with lawsuits as part of doing business these days. On December 16, 2008, Airborne and 32 State Attorneys General announced the settlement of an investigation concerning some of the advertising and labeling that formerly had been used for Airborne dietary supplements. Airborne had previously settled two matters involving similar claims, one filed by class-action attorneys and another by the Federal Trade Commission. None of the lawsuits put in question the quality of Airborne, or the benefits of its ingredients for the immune system. The settlements did not involve any admission of wrongdoing on Airborne’s part, but they enabled the company to get back to what’s most important to us: making a great product that people love.
Lots and lots of people claim they do get a benefit from these types of supplements when they feel a cold coming on. If you read the comments section on the article you linked to, the comments seem to be overwhelmingly in favor of the product (not that this is a scientific method of determining public opinion, of course).
If you truly think it has helped your family fight off colds, I wouldn’t stop using just because of a lawsuit. I completely agree with the company’s statement that every company gets lawsuits, and it’s cheaper to settle than to fight them. That’s sad, but just the price of doing business in a litigious society.
There is an entire sector of the U.S. economy that makes its living this way, by working the system to get free settlement money. They know that if you settle, you’re rich, and if you lose, you walk away and owe nothing.
January 12th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
My friend bought me some last time I got sick (so it wouldn’t happen again.) Don’t tell her, but I never took any. My problem is my sinuses, so I started using a sinus wash kit, and things have improved immensely! I always thought that stuff was way too expensive, and that’s why I never bought any.
January 12th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
You know, not all pharmacists recommended it either. Once Oprah recommended it several years ago, it has been the “cure-all”. I would tell people who asked that it was Vit C, echineacha, and some other herbal stuff and it was an expensive way to go. People bought it anyway. We could not keep it on the shelves. Vitamin supplements and herbal products are NOT regulated by the FDA or anybody else. Many herbal products can & do interact with Rx meds. Talk to your pharmacist!
January 13th, 2009 at 10:18 am
We’ve taken this for a couple of years now, and Brody had always said that it was just vitamins and didn’t prevent anything. I always told him that he’s too pessimistic. It’s our bit we do. He’s right most of the time…
January 13th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
I always knew it was just vitamins and such, but it CAN help if you take it as soon as you are getting sick. Same as taking more vit C and other stuff to build the immune system. It’s funny how marketing can take a turn. I’m sure that lady never intended for it to be called the “cure all” but someone did say it and it stuck.
Kind of like when Michael Jackson was coined the king of pop. You never know what’ll stick.
January 13th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
I’ve taken them. Given them to my kids too. But I realized it wasn’t a cure all. It was/is probably more placebo effect more than anything. But it usually worked for me anyhow.
January 13th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
No, I usually tough things out. My friend swears by Zicam Swaps. Have you ever tried those?
January 15th, 2009 at 1:26 am
Hey Kristin, missed visiting! Yes, I used to take it and in fact, my mom still insists (I believe) that it works…I prefer the natural way: adequate rest, food, etc.
God bless you and family!!