News & Updates
The Latest on Internet Pharmacies, Supplements, Designer Drugs,
and Other High-Risk Merchants
January is the Season for Risky Weight Loss Products
Losing weight is typically the number one New Year’s resolution — and cybercriminals know it. According to research firm Research and Markets, the largest diet surge is in January as people exit the holiday season and set New Year’s resolutions about their health. For this reason, it’s important for payment service providers and e-commerce platforms to watch out for those selling potentially violative products.
Why Are Supplement Ingredient Names So Confusing?
Have you ever heard of 1-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-6,7-diol or 4-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]phenol? Probably not. How about higenamine or hordenine? That may be more likely, but did you know that 1-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-6,7-diol and higenamine are actually the same ingredient? The same is true for 4-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]phenol and hordenine. Ingredient names can be confusing because manufacturers don’t always follow guidelines set by the…
“Alzheimer’s” on Track to Win LegitScript’s Infamous Yellow Flag Award for 2019
“Alzheimer’s” and related disease terms are on track to be this year’s top impermissible supplement marketing claim, which would earn it the LegitScript Yellow Flag Award for 2019. With four months still left in the year, will “Alzheimer’s” beat last year’s top impermissible claim — “inflammation” — or 2017’s winner, “cancer”? Only time and shady…
Will CVS’ New Policy Flood the Online Space with Bad Supplements?
CVS announced in May a new policy that requires all vitamins and dietary supplements in the store to be third-party tested for safety and label accuracy. The “Tested to Be Trusted” program is an innovative initiative to weed out problematic supplements, but will it create new problems for e-commerce platforms and payment service providers operating…