E-drug: Herbalife (cont.)
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Dear Eva,
Herbalife has also been a "hot topic" in Norway.
It is promoted not only as a slimming product, but the claim is for all
sorts of benefits. I read a letter written from one distributor to our prime
minister. She said that the product would both create new jobs to all the
distributors who should make follow-up of all customers and reduce the
number of hospital admissions and sick leave days because it would cure
almost all types of diseases! (The distributor was at that time on sick
leave herself!!)
In 1995 there were several articles in the newspaper about illegal import
and sale of Herbalife. Most of the products had been classified as drugs and
ex-pharmacy sale was illegal. Later, one of the products were classified as
food supplement and sale permitted. Today, there is one approved importer of
the food supplement. Occasionally there are advertisements in the newspaper
giving only a telephone number or leaflets are distributed locally. Whether
these distributors are promoting any of the illegal products is difficult to
say. We have had no complaints which could cause us to investigate and we do
not have the capacity to initiate such investigation on our own.
Unfortunately. However, I'll keep looking!
These are the ingredients classified as drugs in Norway:
Formula I: dl-methionin and bromelain
Formula II: betaine + amount of several vitamins and minerals exceeding
maximum levels for food supplements
Formula III: hydrangea and juniperi + too much vitamin C
Formula IV: no components classified as drugs
Herbalife xtra-cal: betaine
Schizandra plus: l-cysteine and l-phenylalanine
Tang Kuei: no components classified as drugs
Male Factor 1000: Bucthorne
Herbal shampoo: betaine and Comfrey (cancerogenic)
Herbal cleanser and Herbal facial scrub: Comfrey (cancerogenic)
NRG: Guarana
Herbalife Fiberbond: gall from ox
Regards Kirsten
Ms Kirsten Myhr, MScPharm, MPH
Bygdoy Alle 58B
0265 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47 22 56 05 85 (h)
Fax: +47 22 24 90 17 (w) Tel: +47 22 24 90 39 (w)
E-mail: myhr@online.no
or (w): kirsten.myhr@helsetilsynet.dep.telemax.no
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