Consumer Law

Snake Oil Salesman Liable for $50 Million: Apparently Can't Cure Cancer

By Christopher Peterson

by Christopher L. Peterson

The Boston Herald reported today that a federal judge awarded the Federal Trade Commission nearly $50 million in damages in its case against Donald Barrett. Mr. Barrett is an infomercial pitchman who hawked his ?Coral Calcium? and ?Supreme Greens" dietary supplements on late night television.

The award comes nearly a year after the Federal Trade Commission won a summary judgment motion on the question of Mr. Barrett's and his co-defendant's liability. Among other counts, the district court agreed that Mr. Barrett's Coral Calcium infomercial made false representations that coral calcium is an effective treatment or cure for cancer, Parkinson?s disease, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and lupus.

Still advertised and on the market: Mr. Barrett's "Hope^TM for Pets" dog food supplement which allegedly provides "Omega-3 fatty acids and phospholipids for healthy skin & hair coat." Any one want to bet whether he did a double blind, placebo-controlled, longitudinal dog study to back up that claim? Woof.

Full post as published by CL&P Blog on August 14, 2009 (boomark / email).