Wal-Mart, Others Alleged To Have Sold Bogus Herbal Supplements

(RTTNews) - Herbal supplements sold by some leading retailers may not be that efficacious, if one is to go by the opinion of the New York State Attorney General's office.

The AG's office has ordered four large retailers --- Wal-Mart, Walgreens, GNC and Target -- to stop selling their store brands of herbal dietary supplements on charges that the products may be mislabeled or adulterated.

The office states that products from three or four New York state retail stores were tested up to five times each by a DNA barcoding technique developed at the University of Guelph, Ontario.

DNA testing on store-brand herbal supplements showed that four out of five contained none of the herbs on the label. Instead, the products were packed with wheat, rice, beans or houseplants. The supplements are used to treat problems ranging from memory loss to prostate trouble.

Products under focus include herbal supplements: Gingko biloba, St. John's Wort, Ginseng, Garlic, Echinacea, Saw Palmetto, and Valerian root.

Bottles of Walmart-brand echinacea, an herb to combat colds, did not have any trace of echinacea. GNC-brand bottles of St. John's wort, a cure for depression, held rice, garlic and a tropical houseplant, did not contain the herb.

Target, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart get their supplements made by contract manufacturers, but with their own brand names, while GNC makes their own products. Target has its Up & Up brand, Walgreens' Finest Nutrition brand, and Walmart's Spring Valley brand.

The AG has asked the retailers to provide by February 9, details of the manufacturers of each product, any evidence of analytical testing for product content and quality, and any adverse events related to the products.

Meanwhile, herbal trade and education organizations have flayed the AG's actions as premature, calling the testing flawed and scientifically inappropriate.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires companies to verify their products are safe and properly labeled. But supplements are exempt from the FDA's approval process.

Walmart's vice president of Health & Wellness, Carmen Bauza, said testing by Walmart suppliers hasn't revealed any issues with the concerned products, but the company will comply with the AG's request to stop selling them in New York.

Walgreen and GNC said they would cooperate with the AG on the matter, while Target said it can't comment without reviewing the full report.