Government Bans Kevin Trudeau from Infomercial Advertising

WASHINGTON September 10, 2004 -- The Associated Press reports that Kevin Trudeau, producer and spokesperson of advertisements for Coral Calcium Supreme has been fined $2 million and banned from advertising product health benefits in any medium by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC action comes from false health claims made by Trudeau regarding Coral Calcium Supreme.

Lydia Parnes, acting director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, described Trudeau as a "habitual false advertiser" who has "misled American consumers for years."

According to nutrition information site Healthcastle.com, Coral Calcium is composed primarily of calcium carbonate similar to Tums.

Quackwatch.org, a health-watch internet portal administered by Stephen Bartlett, M.D., reports that the ground limestone ingredients in Coral Calcium have no unique health properties.

This is not to suggest that other calcium supplement products are not nutritionally healthy or beneficial.

According to a 1996 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), "virtually all Americans are deficient in calcium."

Products such as CalAbsorb are composed of calcium citrate and magnesium and are blended with vitamins C and D to aid with absorption.

Trudeau, who produced television advertising marketing Coral Calcium that led to the FTC ban for fabrication and deception, spent nearly two years in prison in the early 1990s, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

By contrast, production of marketing materials for CalAbsorb and other health supplement products are headed by Arty Media Group, a reputable full service advertising agency that provides direct response, brand awareness and product launch campaigns for television, radio, Internet, and print markets.

Trudeau's misleading approach to advertising that earned the landmark ban is not indicative of the direct marketing industry as a whole.

In the case of Arty Media Group, the company maintains industry advertising standards and consumer protection by requiring substantiated data of clients.

In his settlement with the FTC, Trudeau is permanently barred from appearing in, producing or disseminating infomercials that advertise any product, service or program. He is also prevented from advertising in any medium that any product can cure, treat or prevent any disease or provide health benefits.




This article courtesy of http://www.yourcalciumguide.info/.
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