According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the Texas Attorney General is finally going after Mannatech Inc. Named in the suit are Mannatech Inc., Manna Relief Ministries, The Fisher Institute Samuel L Caster (Chairman and CEO of Mannatech), and Reginald McDaniel (Medical Director).
The allegations include:
- Mannatech markets dietary supplements as a cure, treatment, or prevention for diseases, while knowing that marketing the supplements in this way is illegal
- Mannatech tries to distance itself from those disease-curing claims by saying that the claims are being made by unrelated third parties or by independent contractors, over whom the company has no control
The suit goes on to detail testimonials made at company events, which were clearly intended to lead people to believe that the Mannatech dietary supplements cured diseases.
Also contained in the suit is a mention of the site glycoscience.com, which supposedly provides information on glyconutrients and attempts to present “scientific studies” that would appear to legitimize Mannatech’s products. The suit says that most of the “studies” on the site are actually papers prepared by Mannatech employees or affiliates, and have not been published anywhere or peer reviewed.
The disease-treating claims made by Mannatech and its represetative are illegal. Such statements can only be made with approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction against Mannatech.
This is great news and long overdue.
I have had Scam Caster in my crosshairs for 15 years
Frank Thomas
You big bully – these products sure have helped my family – must be you are a planted person from Big Brother Pharmaceutical drug lords tryng to take your competition down!
We’re not fooled!!! And there is alot of us that enjoy these products and couldn’t picture life without them!!! Prepare for a fight if they try to take a product down that actually helps the general public with no side effects!!! A fight from the grassroots of America!!!!
You are too late with your poisoned words!!!! America is sick of drugs and their side effects with or without a company called Mannatech – we demand products with no side effects –
And Like we believe that drugs cure us – get off it – they get us too scared to be without these drugs – but look at the side effects – that’s WELLNESS – what do you think we are stupid?
If you’re with me on this I am calling on all of you that have benefitted from ambertose – speak up now and don’t be bullied any longer!!!!!
Texas Sues Mannatech- Blog Reactions…
There was some interesting reactions to the The Wall Street Journal’s piece, on July 6th, about Texas Suing Mannatech Over Claims Kim Klaver picked up……
Lori – You found me out! I secretly work for a secret drug company. This website, this company, and my career as a fraud investigator are just a cover for my real job, which is to hide the wonderful, wonderful benefits of sugar pills. LOL
Keep taking your “ambertose”.
What was the outcome of the case?
From the Texas Attorney General’s website:
Mannatech (February 2009)
Attorney General Greg Abbott reached an agreement that resolves the state’s enforcement actions against Coppell-based Mannatech Inc. and its former CEO, Samuel L. Caster. In 2007, the state charged both defendants with orchestrating an unlawful marketing scheme that exaggerated their products’ health benefits. Under the settlement, Mannatech will pay $4 million in restitution to Texas customers. Caster, the company’s founder and largest shareholder, will pay a $1 million civil penalty and is prevented from serving as an officer, director, or employee of Mannatech for the next five years.
According to the state’s enforcement action, Mannatech, under the direction of Caster and through its multi-level marketing network, exaggerated claims about the therapeutic benefits of its dietary supplements and nutritional products in order to increase sales. Marketing materials falsely claimed that Mannatech’s dietary supplements could cure and treat Down Syndrome, cystic fibrosis, cancer and other serious illnesses.
* Mannatech’s Settlement Web site
* Final Judgment against Mannatech Incorporated
* Final Judgment against Samuel L. Caster
* Attorney General’s lawsuit against Mannatech
* Plaintiff’s Original Petition
* Press Release from February 26, 2009
* Press Release from July 5, 2007
Under the agreed final judgment, Mannatech agreed not to advertise or otherwise claim that its dietary supplements can cure, treat, mitigate, or prevent disease. The company also agreed to implement a comprehensive monitoring and compliance program that will monitor sales associates’ statements about Mannatech’s products in the future.
The state’s enforcement action also cited Mannatech for encouraging product “testimonials” that exaggerated its products’ healing effects. According to state investigators, Mannatech’s independent sales associates employed misleading “before and after” photos in seminar booths, brochures, videos, sales associates’ personal Web sites and training materials.
Consumers eligible for restitution can visit Mannatech’s settlement Web site at http://www.mannatechtexasag.com or call Mannatech’s customer service toll-free at (877)877-8170.