December 3, 2004
A Switzerland-based company and its United States counterpart have agreed to provide refunds to U.S. customers who bought its dietary supplements and supposed medical devices.
Dr. Clark Research Association, a California company and Dr. Clark Behandlungszentrum GMbH, doing business as Dr. Clark Zentrum, sold a variety of dietary supplements and devices that they alleged cured advanced and terminal cancers, AIDS, and other serious diseases. The FTC alleged that the defendants made unsubstantiated health or safety claims.
In its complaint, the FTC alleged that the defendants advertised, among other things, that:
• the Zapper (sold as the Super-Zapper Deluxe) is a device that purportedly kills disease-causing parasites in the body with electricity and is effective in treating serious and chronic diseases like cancer and AIDS;
• the Syncrometer is a device that purportedly can detect substances within the body and diagnose diseases;
• the Complete Herbal Parasite Program - also called the Herbal Parasite Cleanse - is effective to treat serious diseases when used with the Zapper.
The FTC charged that the defendants did not have a reasonable basis to substantiate the claims made in the ads.
To settle the FTCs charges, the proposed final order prohibits the defendants from making unsubstantiated health or safety claims for any food, drug, dietary supplement, or device. The order also requires the defendants to notify U.S. consumers that they are entitled to full refunds.
