COUNTYWIDE : Vitamin Firm to Pay Penalty Over Claims

A Los Angeles County vitamin firm has agreed to pay penalties of $60,000 for claiming that its product, which was distributed throughout Ventura County, would lower cholesterol levels.

The district attorney’s office, in conjunction with the state attorney general’s office, filed a civil action against P. Leiner Nutritional Products Inc. of Torrance charging false and misleading advertising and unlawful business practices.

Without admitting any wrongdoing or liability, P. Leiner agreed to pay $60,000 in civil penalties, cost and restitution and agreed to a permanent injunction prohibiting claims regarding cholesterol reduction.

An executive of the corporation said the decision to settle the civil action was based on economics.

“The cost of litigation outweighed the value of marketing the product,” said Gale Bensussen, senior vice president of corporate development. “We had a very strong difference of opinion with them with regard to the product, but we made a business decision to switch rather than fight.”

Advertising on “Your Life Cholesterol Control Pak” manufactured by P. Leiner said the product would help reduce the risk of heart disease and implied that the vitamins would lower cholesterol levels, said a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office.

The case was referred to the district attorney’s office by the food and drug branch of the California Department of Health Services because the product was distributed throughout the county at various retail stores, including the Price Club.

The California Health and Safety Code prohibits certain claims that drugs will have an effect on heart disease.

Bensussen said P. Leiner manufactures more than 2,000 different items and is the largest vitamin manufacturer in the nation.

“We’ve never had any problems like this,” he said.