A Federal Trade Commission lawsuit alleges Shawn Talbott and his associates made false and unsubstantiated claims about the dietary supplement in radio, television and print ads, infomercials and on Web sites. As a result, CortiSlim marketers have agreed to stop claiming, among other things, that the product:
l Eliminates cravings, controls appetite or causes weight loss of 10 to 50 pounds for virtually all users;
l Causes users to lose weight specifically from the abdomen, stomach and thighs;
l Helps shed pounds without the need for diet or exercise;
l Has been demonstrated effective or is supported by more than 15 years of scientific research.
The assertions "fly in the face of reality," Lydia Parnes, acting director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. "No pill can replace a healthy program of diet and exercise."
The FTC also contends CortiSlim infomercials were made to look like a talk show called "Breakthroughs," rather than paid commercial advertisements.
Besides requiring the company modify its ads, the FTC is seeking refunds for all consumers who purchased CortiSlim, which sells for $49.99, and a related pill, CortiStress. The latter was discontinued, but not before it was pitched as a way to prevent or reduce the risk of osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Together, the products have racked up $50 million in sales, according to a CortiSlim attorney.
U. Health Sciences spokeswoman Anne Brillinger said Talbott received his doctorate in nutritional biochemistry from Rutgers University before coming to the U. in 2000. He teaches four sections of "Understanding Dietary Supplements."
Brillinger said the U. was not involved in the creation of CortiSlim or CortiStress and derives no financial benefit from them. The school was unaware of the FTC action, she added, but would investigate. "We would look very closely at any kind of regulatory trouble or fraudulent advertising charges that were brought against any of our faculty."
Talbott referred all questions to a Chicago public relations consultant who handed them off to New York City attorney Marc Ullman. He represents the California advertising agencies named in the lawsuit, Window Rock Enterprises Inc. and Infinity Advertising Inc.
Ullman blamed the FTC action on "overexuberance." He noted the government's complaints focus on advertising not product safety and the defendants admitted no wrongdoing in agreeing to pull the ads.
Ullman said the claims were based on Talbott's research and book, The Cortisol Connection.
"His book makes sense. But when it comes to the FTC, if something intuitively makes sense, that may not be enough," Ullman said. "That is what keeps people like me busy."
lfantin@sltrib.com
