For years, Airborne Health touted Airborne as a cold prevention remedy. This Washington Post article reports on the Federal Trade Commission’s settlement of false advertising claims against the manufacturer. According to the story, the company agreed to refunds of up to $30 million dollars settlement to dispose of the false advertising claims.

Bad enough that Airborne was raking in money by the tanker-load on false claims. But if that wasn’t enough, the CEO blames consumer lawyers for the company’s woes.  From the article: “A class-action lawsuit sparked this matter. We’re just one of many major consumer brands across America that are under assault by class-action lawyers.”

The Post article quotes Stephen Gardner, director of Center for Science in the Public Interest.  Steve is one of the country’s top consumer lawyers, and CSPI has done its usual top-notch job here. Curious that Steve and the FTC and other consumer lawyers would get the blame. Steve Gardner didn’t choose to make false claims in advertising the product. Neither did the FTC.  But let’s not let facts get in the way.

Seems to me that consumers have the right to know that they’re buying something real when they spend money on a product.  If the manufacturer chooses to falsely advertise its products, it’s only fair and proper that they pay the price.

David Sugerman