Fatblaster blasted once again
March 21, 2012
PHARMACARE Laboratories has
been formally ordered to withdraw
a series of TV advertisements for its
Fatblaster Max products, after the
company failed to comply with a
request by the Therapeutic Goods
Complaints Resolution Panel.
Despite being a member of the
Complementary Healthcare Council
of Australia, Pharmacare did not
provide evidence of compliance
with 12 Feb order requesting
withdrawal of the advertisement,
the publication of a retraction
advertisement on the TV channel
where the original ad was
broadcast, as well as a retraction on
the www.fatblaster.com.au site.
The Complaints Resolution Panel
was responding to an anonymous
compliant about a Fatblaster Max
TV commercial broadcast in Oct
and Nov last year, taking exception
to claims that the product
“increases weight loss” and is
“almost 2x more effective than
dieting alone”.
Pharmacare provided evidence of
a study involving 50 subjects
including “statistical analysis of a
subgroup” of obese patients.
“The panel was not satisfied that
evidence relating to obese subjects
could be regarded as relevant to
the ordinary, healthy consumers to
whom the advertisement was in
fact directed,” the TGCRP ruling said.
A similar complaint about the
company’s Xantrax product, with
the same “active ingredient” of
Svetol had also been upheld, with the company also in that case using
the same evidence and the panel
saying relying on the study
appeared to be “indefensible”.
The Panel has recommended that
the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Ageing order Pharmacare
to comply with all of the requests
made in the determination as well
as withdrawing approval for the ad.
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