Medicinal Remedies
Natural Herbal Products: Consumer Protection
Consumers are frequently duped by product claims that are not substantiatedby credible 3rd party research or testing. The natural health industry frequently promotes products with limited objective scientific evidence. This is further complicated by half-truths that represent treatment, cure or product application benefit claims. Consumers are forced to protect themselves by being informed. Be an informed consumer!
Natural Herbal Products: Consumer Protection Guide
Consumers can protect themselves by researching products, their ingredients and claims. Legitimate natural health products will list their ingredients in descendingorder according to volume. The properties of natural product ingredients can be individually researched to validate their benefits. The key is to seek credible sources of information that DO NOT represent subjective experience. A good rule-of-thumb is to look at information that is scientifically based and not merelyconveyedfrom personal experience.
Natural Herbal Products: Consumer Protection Checklist
Yes No Does the natural health product list all ingredients on the label?
Yes No Does the natural health product offer any scientific research information to validate product claims?
Yes No Does the natural health product disclose how ingredients are derived or processed?
Yes No Does the natural health product have artificial ingredients like: additives, stabilizers, or emulsifiers?
Yes No Does the natural health product have any credible industry affiliations or standards?
Yes No Is the natural health product backed by known industry or organizational standards?
Yes No Has the natural health product been fully tested?
Yes No Has the natural health product been in use a long time?
Yes No Are there real customers who have used the natural health product successfully?
Yes No Is there 3rd party information that backs the natural health product?
Yes No Is there any negative press or information that disproves product or ingredient claims?
Yes No Does the natural health product offer performance guarantees or a consumer satisfaction warrantee?
Natural Herbal Products: Consumer Protection Facts
- There are USDA rules, regulations and guidelines for natural health products that are difficult to enforce.
- Although natural health companies must comply with truth-in-advertising standards, product claims are not always accurate.
- Enforcing natural health product ingredient or organic claims is difficult as end-product consumer companies do not have to submit to actual product testing.
- Natural health product ingredients, although tested or certified, may have toxins, trace chemicals or foreign substances from processing in finished products.
- Potency or ingredient chemical activity may vary by product manufacturing batch as harvesting, processing standards vary and growers process raw ingredients differently.
- Product claims often represent half-truths that misrepresent products and their effectiveness.
- Some natural health products focus on selling product rather than developing and delivering products that work as advertised.
- The natural health industry is growing as consumers shift life-style product consumption to natural and organic products. Mainstream consumer product companies like: P & G and General Mills are pushing to broadenthe definition of natural and organic to include product ingredients that are not completely natural or organic.
- Natural product ingredients are being produced all over the world. Many non-USA companies have different natural and organic standards for classification. Consumer who purchase these products rely on the honesty, integrity and credibility of companies to use product ingredients that are certified.
- Consumers must protect themselves by staying informed, conducting information research and verifying product claims by credible 3rd party scientific research.