Government settles deceptive ad case involving dietary supplements

Wednesday, September 21st 2005, 6:28 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Federal regulators on Wednesday announced a $4.5 million settlement involving deceptive advertising claims for the dietary supplements CortiSlim and CortiStress.

The Federal Trade Commission alleged that three defendants in the case made false or unproven claims about the two products in infomercials promoting the supplements.

The marketers made false claims about CortiSlims' ability to cause rapid, substantial and permanent weight loss in all users, the FTC said. It also challenged claims that CortiStress could reduce the risk of, or prevent, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The three defendants are California-based Pinnacle Marketing Concepts, Inc. and its president, Thomas F. Cheng, and Utah-based Shawn M. Talbott, the agency said.

The commission said litigation continues against four other defendants.