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The Center for Inquiry sues homeopathy company Boiron over alleged consumer deception 

By Brian Buntz | April 15, 2022

CFI/Boiron

CFI/Boiron

The nonprofit organization Center for Inquiry (CFI) is suing Boiron, one of the biggest manufacturers of homeopathic products. In a lawsuit invoking the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act, CFI argues that Boiron sells scores of materially identical products composed of sugar pills and powders while claiming that the products treat or cure a range of conditions.

Headquartered in Messimy, France, Boiron sells products to treat conditions ranging from flu to insomnia. Based on the concept of “like cures like,” homeopathy uses highly-diluted amounts of substances to bring about a therapeutic effect. Homeopathy is also based on the principle that the more diluted a substance is, the more potent it tends to be.

There are currently no FDA-approved homeopathic products.

CFI takes harsh approach in Boiron battle

CFI alleges that Boiron profits by deceiving consumers. “Boiron knows its products are worthless junk, so they do everything they can to obscure the truth in order to offload their snake oil upon the unwitting, the ill-informed, and the vulnerable,” said CFI vice president and legal counsel Nick Little, in a press release.

“Boiron sells little pills of sugar with grandiose claims. It’s hard to believe anyone would try to pass off such junk as a surefire way to treat painful skin problems, heal mental health issues, and even to counteract menopause,” said CFI Staff Attorney Aaron D. Green, in a press release. “But Boiron has been doing just that by tricking consumers into risking their health and throwing away their money on its fancy faux ‘medicines.’ It’s time for Boiron and all homeopathy hucksters to be held accountable.”

Boiron did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Boiron has, however, defended its products in various settings, including legal venues, maintaining the efficacy of their offerings.

sacharum officinale

Image courtesy of Boiron.

Targeting Saccharum Officinale

CFI singled out Boiron’s selling of Saccharum Officinale, table sugar, as a treatment for nervous agitation in children after overindulgence.

CFI also argued that independent labs have concluded that four Boiron products had no traces of their purported active ingredients.

Earlier this year, CFI announced that it was suing Walmart and CVS for fraud over their sales of homeopathic products.

CFI was founded in 1991 by the author Paul Kurtz. In 2016, it merged with the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. Dawkins is an outspoken critic of homeopathy.

Homeopathic treatments remain popular in Boiron’s native France. The French government announced in 2019 that it would cut funding for homeopathic medicines.

Historical context

The CFI lawsuit is not the first legal challenge Boiron has faced related to its advertising and product claims. In 2012, the company was named in the class action lawsuit titled Gallucci v. Boiron, Inc., filed in the United States District Court, Southern District of California. Judge John A. Houston presided over the case.

Similar to the CFI matter, the class action lawsuit alleged that Boiron made false claims about the efficacy of its homeopathic remedies. Ultimately, Boiron agreed to a settlement in March of 2012, agreeing to spend up to $12 million to address several consumer class action claims.

On a related note, over-the-counter homeopathic remedies sold in the U.S. were dealt a setback in 2016 when the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) mandated that such remedies carry a warning stating. Specifically, the label notes that such therapies are based on theories ‘not accepted by most modern medical experts.’ It continues: ‘there is no scientific evidence the product works.’ FTC warns that failing to include this warning could mean potential violations of its rules, including breach of laws against deceptive advertising or labeling of over-the-counter drugs.

In the United Kingdom, NHS notes, “There’s no evidence behind the idea that substances that cause certain symptoms can also help treat them.”

Homeopathic treatments generally continue to enjoy popularity in many parts of the world, including in Boiron’s home country of France. Government support for homeopathy, however, appears to be slipping. In 2019, the French government stop reimbursing patients receiving homeopathic medicines.

About The Author

Brian Buntz

The pharma and biotech editor of WTWH Media, Brian is a veteran journalist with more than 15 years of experience covering an array of life science topics, including clinical trials, drug discovery and development and medical devices. Before coming to WTWH, he served as content director focused on connected devices at Informa. In addition, Brian covered the medical device sector for 10 years at UBM. At Qmed, he overhauled the brand’s news coverage and helped to grow the site’s traffic volume dramatically. He had previously held managing editor roles on two of the company’s medical device technology publications. Connect with him on LinkedIn or email at bbuntz@wtwhmedia.com.

Comments

  1. Vanessa Kona says

    September 14, 2023 at 3:48 pm

    Brian,
    Kudos to you! It’s a well crafted not-so-undercover pr article bringing together very curated facts about homeopathy, painting the picture that homeopathy in general is a scam- and that not even the French government respects it. Continue to write, as it’s very obviously biased (because no, your writing isn’t convincing at all) and actually helps to enlighten others as you do so well to obviously expose the cunning media practices of pharma pr. I’m showing this article to everyone. Thank you for giving me the tool to spread the truth. OMG you guys are HILARIOUS – keep up the writing.

    Reply
    • Brian Buntz says

      September 14, 2023 at 5:16 pm

      Hi Vanessa,

      Thanks for taking the time to write. Out of curiosity, which facts would you suggest adding to make it more neutral?

      In writing the piece, my primary goal was to share developments related to the suit against Boiron. I have since added more historical context, such as the 2016 directive from the U.S. FTC requiring homeopathic products to clarify the lack of modern scientific evidence backing them (https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2016/11/ftc-issues-enforcement-policy-statement-regarding-marketing-claims-over-counter-homeopathic-drugs), and the 2019 decision by the French government to stop reimbursements for homeopathic medicines (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-health-homeopathy-idUSKCN1U42B6). Those are public record and have shaped the current discourse.

      When writing the piece, I also reached out to Boiron for a comment and did not receive one.

      In any event, your feedback has inspired me to re-examine the piece and consider future updates for clarity and balance. I have added more details with links to sources. We consistently aim for accuracy, and while you and I might have differing interpretations of the subject, interactions like these can help foster a more informed and open dialogue.

      Reply
  2. Melody says

    October 24, 2023 at 3:39 am

    Ive just recently taken some pellets for anxiety and another for acid reflux and I can tell you they both worked very effectively. You either try them and if they don’t work for you, so be it, it’s like any other medication you get from doctors or over the counter. Everyone is different. It’s not “snake oil” it using what ancestors did years ago with herbs. That’s only my opinion, but 100% worked and I have zero time for BS. Each to their own , as they say

    Reply

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