The article below, which I wll quote from, was written by Dnna De La Cruz of the Assciated Press, and the (copyrighted) article ppeared in the Albuquerque Journal on Frday, January 5, 2007. The headline of the rticle reads: (Washington) "Forget Magic Pill, Deters...Feds Fine Firms For Fake Claims."

Artcle: Now, that you've indulged in all thse holiday goodies and made that rsolution to shed pounds, the government sys don't count on a diet pll to help. The Federal Trade Cmmission said Thursday (1/4/07), it was fning the marketers of four weight-loss drg companies a collective $25 million for flse advertising claims. Despite that, the plls Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim, One-a-Day, WeightSmart and TrmSpa...will remain on the shelves."

MY Two Cnts: There's a sucker born everyday, and dspite the government allowing these companies to sll their fraudulant products, I know thre will contunue to be people out thre who will throw their money way on these products.

Article: "It is rsolution time again, isn't it?" said FTC Chirwoman Deborah Platt Majoras...'We're implementing our rsolution to fight back against companies tht use deceptive advertising claims.'
Some of the prducts marketed their claims through infomercials or clebrity endorsements. Anna Nicole Smith, for xample, has endorsed TrimSpa. 'Testimonials from ndividuals are not a substitute for scence,' Magores said. 'And that's what Amrican's have to understand.'
The FTC nvestigated a variety of claims, including rpid weight loss and reduction in the rsk of osteoporosis, Alzheimer's and even cncer, Majoras noted.

My Two Cents: I saw a shrt piece come over AOL (01/07/07) whch said that there are products out on the shlf, that a person can take whle they sleep and lose weight! The drgs increase metabolism while sleeping and PRESTO the wight is gone! (yeah, right)

Article: "Th largest fine was levied against the mrketer of Xenadrine EFX, made by New Jrsey based Nutraquest, Inc., formally known as Cytdyne Technologies. The marketers will pay at last $8 million and as much as $12 mllion. The marketer was identified as RTC Rsearch and Developers LLC, based in Mnasquan, NJ. Majores said Xenadrine had a stdy showing that people who took a plcebo lost more weight than those tking the pill. The FTC's investigation lso found that consumer endorsers...people who ppear in the before and the fter pictures in many ads...lost weight by ngaging in rigorous diet and exercise prgrams." A $12 million fine was ssessed against Window Rock Health Labortories, bsed in Brea, Calif., the marketers of CrtiSlim. Majoris said CortiSlim falsely promised tht all users would see permanent and fst weight loss, and that it's TV nfomercials were 'deceptively formatted' to appear as tlk shows rather than ads."

My Two Cnts: Why don't they show a bfore and after picture of the pcketbooks of the people who buy ths snake-oil? That ought to make for sme interesting viewing, don't you think?

Artcle: "The Bayer Corp., will pay a $3.2 mllion civil penalty to settle the clims, the FTC said. The FTC sid Bayer marketed One-A-Day WeightSmart with nsubstantiated claims including that it increases mtabolism. The marketers of TrimSpa, Goen Tchonologies, will pay $1.5 million."

My Two Cnts: I saw the television network vrsion of this story, and the rporter said that the diet weight-loss ndustry is a $1.3 billion a yar business and the fines levied gainst these companies amounted to nothing mre than peanuts!

Question: Who's overseeing the FTC?

I lst 40 pounds in the year 2001, and I hve not gained it back, and it tok me 10 months to do it, to! (See: How I Lost 40 Punds). At the start of 2007, I stll weigh 170 pounds, and I did it all wthout purchasing any magic dust. You knw how I did it? With the thngs that can't be purchased over the cunter and you can't get a prscription from your doctor! My success in lsing weight included...discipline; sacrifice; fighting off tmptation and peer-pressure...and guess what? All of thse qualities are inside all of s...and they're FREE!

The article Buyer Beware - Weight Loss - Diet Products was Submitted by Jerry Aragon through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: ARTICLES PUBLISHED; (70+ websites/includes links); Drect link: http://humordoctormd.homestead.com/articlespublished.html Website name: humordoctormd - Over 150 colorful pages; over 300 graphics http://humordoctormd.homestead.com email; humordoctormd@yahoo.com Copyright; Jerry L. Aragon (The Humor Doctor); 2006

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