Availability Of Counterfeit Supplements Ringing Up Impact On Brand Sales And Consumer Safety

Sales of Bioventra’s probiotic put inventory at “a critical low” as “parallel rise in unverified listings on third-party marketplaces prompted concern among” customers. DoJ and food and drug industry attorney say counterfeiting remains a problem in supplement sector.

(Source: Shutterstock)
Key Takeaways
  • Reports of “counterfeit variations marketed under similar packaging and brand naming” led Bioventra to publish reminder that Prime Biome is available only through its official direct-to-consumer channel and authorized partners.
  • “It seems like, with the rise of e-commerce, that there are ways to get more counterfeit supplements into the marketplace,” says DoJ Consumer Protection Branch attorney Patrick Runkle.
  • “These fake products can pose serious safety issues such as undeclared allergens or high levels of contaminants like heavy metals, which can harm a brand’s reputation and leave it open to potential liability,” says food and drug regulation attorney Rend Al-Mondhiry.

Bioventra Inc. recently made one announcement all dietary supplement marketers are anxious to make, reporting surging sales, and another that it as well its competitors are loath to make, warning...

And Bioventra isn’t alone with the problem, a Department of Justice Consumer Protection Branch official and a food and drug regulation attorney say.

More from Regulation

More from HBW Insight