Vitamin claim false — dept

Press, 1 September 1980, Page 5

Vitamin claim false — dept

FA Wellington Extravagant claims were being made about a dietary supplement on sale in New Zealand known as pangamic acid or vitamin 815, the Director-General of Health (Dr H. J. H. Hiddlestone) has said.

It was not a vitamin as its marketers purported it to be. and there was no scientific evidence to back up therapeutic claims made for it, he said in a privileged statement made under section 42 of the Food and Drue Act. “The basic feature of a vitamin is that lack of the substance produces a specific deficiency disease (e.g. lack of vitamin C causes scurvy),” he said. “Tins deficiency disease is corrected by administering the necessary’ substance. In the case of pangamic acid, there is no evidence that fits this definition and the use of the word “vitamin” is a sales ploy. “Extravagant claims being made for pangamic acid have riot been supported by scientific evidence. The wide range of therapeutic claims includes increased physical endurance, relife from asthma, angina, nervous tension, rheumatoid arthritis, ageing, drug-withdrawl symptoms, alleviating the effects of traffic fumes and smog, cirrhosis of the liver,

and many other disease conditions.” Dr Hiddlestone said that !no evidence as to the safety ’of the substance was available.

“At present, sale of. the substance as a dietary supplement does not transgress the law but no therapeutic claims can be made. Those purchasing this product should realise they are spending their money on a product with neither proven efficiency nor safety.”