Kiwiherb retracts certain therapeutic claims

Kiwiherb retracts certain therapeutic claims for its new Organic Children’s Echinacea

Further to the media release issued yesterday (Tuesday 27 May 2003) on its new Echinacea product for children, Kiwiherb wishes to withdraw certain claims made for this product in the release.

This retraction has been prompted by contact with the Ministry of Health’s Medicines Safety Authority, which has pointed out that certain aspects of the perceived claims made about this new product do not comply with the requirements of the 1981 Medicines Act, which requires any therapeutic claim to be vetted by Medsafe.

Currently, New Zealand’s legislation does not permit therapeutic claims to be made for so-called ‘dietary supplements’, unless a substantial amount of supporting clinical data is provided. This situation has been widely criticised by the industry and local manufacturers for many years, but is currently being reviewed by Medsafe as part of its efforts to introduce new legislation regulating herbal products in New Zealand.

Kiwiherb therefore withdraws the statement made in this media release that the new Kiwiherb Children’s Echinacea can help in the treatment of glue ear and other infections in children, and that large doses of this product can help speed healing during an infection. Kiwiherb also wishes it to be known that any implication that this or the Kiwiherb Echinacea with active manuka honey product can increase resistance to the SARS virus, was not intended in yesterday’s release.

While not happy with the current legislation, Kiwiherb is committed to full compliance with this, and has been careful to ensure approval by the Therapeutic Advertising Pre-vetting Service (TAPS) is gained prior to all advertising for its products. In this instance however, Kiwiherb did not perceive the media release issued to also be subject to such approval.

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