NAD supports Quten Research Institute's dietary supplement claims
NEW YORK The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has determined that Quten Research Institute can support certain claims made for its Qunol CoQ10 dietary supplement, though recommended the company modify certain other claims.
NAD, the advertising industry’s self-regulatory forum, examined print and Internet advertising for Qunol CoQ10, following a challenge by the Council for Responsible Nutrition.
The company has said it will appeal a portion of NAD’s decision to the National Advertising Review Board, though Quten Research asserted it had voluntarily discontinued several of the claims at issue — most notably disease-state-type claims that would have run the company afoul of the Federal Trade Commission.
In addition, the Quten represented that it permanently discontinued its “Doctor Recommended CoQ10 Formula” claim and modified its claim “Clinically Proven,” to read, “The hydrosoluble CoQ10 in Qunol softgels has been used in several clinical studies.”
NAD noted that the advertiser had modified its “Clinically Proven” claim to state that “The hydrosoluble CoQ10 in Qunol softgels has been used in several clinical studies,” but found that modified version could be understood by consumers to mean that the product has been proven effective in clinical studies, a claim that is not supported.
NAD found that Qunol provided a reasonable basis for its claims that its Qunol soft gel product is “up to 300% more absorbable…” but recommended that the advertiser clarify the point of comparison – specifically that Qunol is “up to 300% more absorbable” than a standard powder form of CoQ10.
NAD, however, recommended that Qunol discontinue its claim that Liquid Qunol is “Up to 6X better absorption than regular CoQ10.” as well as the claim that “100 mg Qunol Liquid CoQ10 = up to 600 mg regular CoQ10.” since these claims are based solely on the results of laboratory, rather than human, testing.
Qunol, in its advertiser’s statement, stated it respectfully disagrees with NAD’s findings regarding the claim that Qunol liquid CoQ10 provides “up to 6x better absorption,” and will appeal that finding to the National Advertising Review Board.