Supplement company Airborne to settle $23.3M suit

From CNNMoney.com

Airborne - the herbal supplement company that once claimed to help fight off colds - will pay $23.3 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against the company for false advertising, according to one of the groups that joined the suit.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit advocacy group, said the company will refund money to consumers who bought Airborne's product. It will pay for advertisements in major publications instructing consumers on how to get their money refunded.

"There's no credible evidence that what's in Airborne can prevent colds or protect you from a germy environment," said CSPI Senior nutritionist David Schardt. "Airborne is basically on overpriced, run-of-the-mill vitamin pill that's been cleverly, but deceptively, marketed."

A recorded message at the toll-free number of the class-action settlement administrator said that Airborne Health Inc. has admitted no wrongdoing. Airborne Inc., Airborne Health Inc. and Knight-McDowell Labs are among the defendants in the class action lawsuit, filed in the Central District of California in U.S. District Court.
"Defendants deny any wrongdoing or illegal conduct," the message says, "but have agreed to settle the litigation."

Airborne changed their advertising campaign when a plaintiff filed suit against the company in March 2006.
That came after an ABC News report disclosed that the company's clinical trials were not conducted by doctors or scientists, but instead carried out by two laypeople.

Customers interested in more information about how to recieve a refund should log onto www.airbornehealthsettlement.com.

If you take Extenze and Airborne at the same time, does that make you a member of the Mile-High Club?

Well I swear by this product. My family takes it anytime we feel something coming on and nobody gets sick.
Maybe its all in our heads,but whatever works!!

I must really be suseptible to the power of suggestion!
I have used this product many times at the first inkling of a cold, the fatigue, the sniffles, etc. !!!

Each time of use, it has worked for me!
Is there something wrong with me? ???

IMO this suit is crazy. If they're suing airborne for false advertising,then they can sue and probably win,almost all of those ridiculous infomercial products that are on tv. I think they are so funny how they have "doctors" with white overcoats on,to make it look "official".

We use this too!! Too funny. I don't suppose it's too funny for families who really busted their budget to purchase this, but I can't help but laugh at my totally being taken in by this!!

I have to run to CVS in a few.....I am going to look at the wording on their store brand version, I wonder if they are next on the chopping block along with Walgreen's, etc....??

WAYYYY too expensive and correct - vitamins!!!

I Love Airborne. It works great for me. Maybe it is a glorified vitamin but we use it any time we travelor feel a cold coming on. I am an RN and I swear it works well for us!

I think the product is WONDERFUL, works my entire family to lessen and sometime halt a nasty cold before it takes over. I feel it is very inexpensive if you consider the people who run to the Doctors office demanding antibiotics (which don't help with colds) and cough syrups, then the pharmacy for every cough cold and sniffle. $7 bucks is a steal, not to have to wait in the clinic for hours with puking, drooling, snot nosed kids spreading every germ imaginable!

I would bet the farm that this lawsuit was stemmed from some big Pharma Co. selling less of their cold product. Who else would have the money to start up a suit like this.

but buy the cheaper stuff...

no one ever uses vitamins anymore it seems, you know?

I haven't tried Airborne, but I use Zicam, which I think is basically the same... and I swear by my Zicam.. I use it the minute I feel a cold coming - it's wonderful!!!!

sleuthin4fun said:

I Love Airborne. It works great for me. Maybe it is a glorified vitamin but we use it any time we travelor feel a cold coming on. I am an RN and I swear it works well for us!

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I have heard the same from others who have used it.

people, that stuff is 7 bucks?!?!... people will pay 7 bucks for that stuff (x how many family members?!??!) but they really worry when my preceptor and I have to write them out a script that costs $3 or $4 at the pharmacy for one child. shows how marketing can change the way people think, you know? they are more than happy to spend 7 dollars x4 family members EACH WEEK for that stuff, but if we need to write them out a script on the $4 list... it is a strain. I am not being a jerk here, it truely is. EVERY PENNY COUNTS. People don't want to be sick (it causes loss of wages and their kids can't go to daycare or school, causing them to loose work) therefore they will invest in this if they think it will work!

things are tight for people right now, but they will make due for the things that are important to them - even if they are misguided. gas prices are rising and this causes a huge strain for people. the cost of groceries are outrageous. Have you looked at the price of diapers for young families? feeding a baby formula? a lot of young families have more than child of various ages... it is hard to provide now a days for them.

i am just saying that this seems silly that a marketing ploy has made people think that this is more than it is. THESE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW WHAT THEY ARE BUYING OUTRIGHT and marketing ploys are dumb - i do blame the company. I looked at airborne a long time ago and laughed! and i thought... that 'teacher' must be rolling in the dough because this aisle marketing ploy and tv advertising for her vitamins is working.

i'm sorry, i think you should buy the cheap stuff that works just as well for your family. that is just what i am saying. it sounds like a huge scam to me!!

lisag said:

I haven't tried Airborne, but I use Zicam, which I think is basically the same... and I swear by my Zicam.. I use it the minute I feel a cold coming - it's wonderful!!!!

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lisag, i have heard great things about zicam.

pedinurse said:

but buy the cheaper stuff...

no one ever uses vitamins anymore it seems, you know?

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Are you referring to an offbrand Airborne, or something else? Sorry, I'm slow today. :waitasec:

I do like the product but it is way overpriced. I have bought the offbrand and it works just as well. I have also found for me, just plain echinacea capsules and plenty of orange juice works wonderfully for a lot less money.

I use the off-brand Airborne and have generally been happy. I know several people who swear by it, also.

Zicam rocks, though! I highly recommended Zicam to anyone! Zicam is zinc, which IS proven. Airborne is vitamins and herbs.

I think anytime I can go more natural as opposed to paying a drug company money,I'll do it. I'd gladly pay $7 for a natural remedy,than get prescription for $4,for what ,so the drug reps can buy more lunches for the Dr's offices?
Even if its all in our heads and it works,who cares?

Dark Knight said:

I use the off-brand Airborne and have generally been happy. I know several people who swear by it, also.

Zicam rocks, though! I highly recommended Zicam to anyone! Zicam is zinc, which IS proven. Airborne is vitamins and herbs.

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I've never seen an off-brand Airborne and would try it over the name brand if it contained the same ingredients. Who is it made by? Is it like the Equate brand (Wal-Mart) , or something similar? Airborne has zinc in it also, as well as amino acids, vitamins, minerals and herbs. If you purchased each ingredient separate, even generic, it would cost a fortune. I buy generic bands when ever possible, because I believe they work just as well as their name brand counterparts, especially things like aspirin, ibuprofen, and some heartburn meds. But there are a few things that just don't cut it. They just don't work as well.

I've never used Zicam. It must be a lot cheaper??

iNTERESTEDWOMAN said:

I've never seen an off-brand Airborne and would try it over the name brand if it contained the same ingredients. Who is it made by? Is it like the Equate brand (Wal-Mart) , or something similar? Airborne has zinc in it also, as well as amino acids, vitamins, minerals and herbs. If you purchased each ingredient separate, even generic, it would cost a fortune. I buy generic bands when ever possible, because I believe they work just as well as their name brand counterparts, especially things like aspirin, ibuprofen, and some heartburn meds. But there are a few things that just don't cut it. They just don't work as well.

I've never used Zicam. It must be a lot cheaper??

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Wal-Mart has it's own version of it, as does Wal-Greens. And there are other brands (using a different name for it) that are less expensive, with similar ingredients, as well.

Zicam is very expensive and I have not seen an off brand for it, yet, for some reason. It runs about $9-10 at Wal-Mart. But I think it is worth every penny.

My entire family and I use Airborne and we swear by it. Guess it could always be the placebo effect, lol, we've found it to be a good product. Wards off colds fast.