Boericke & Tafel Homeopathic Remedies Under Scrutiny
By Amanda Antell
Homeopathic remedies are growing in popularity every year in America, with more than 54,000 varieties sold in stores and online. Approximately 50 percent of Americans use alternative medicine, and 10 of these consumers also use it to medicate their children.
Despite the popularity of homeopathy, some companies in this industry have come under fire for false advertisement and product misrepresentation. One of these companies is Boericke & Tafel, the oldest homeopathic company in America. Many plaintiffs allege that the company sold homeopathic remedies that were little more than placebos, and falsely advertised their products in terms of their effectiveness.
Even though America has a growing suspicion for the Homeopathic alternative, many Americans still choose to use these remedies in comparison with standard medical practice. Many proponents choose and advocate these remedies because of the frustration they have with the lack of personal interaction with standard practice medical doctors, as well as having no control over their own health.
A report from the Government Accountability Office in 2010 found that some alternative supplements were being sold with deceptive marketing practices, with Boericke and Tafel on the list. The most common drugs being impersonated by a placebo were those that purported to promote weight loss, build muscle, and enhance sexual performance. Although marketed as “natural,” FDA investigations have found hundreds of homeopathic brands actually contain mainstream ingredients, such as anabolic steroids and Sildenafil, the main ingredient in Viagra.
According to Steven Nissen, Cleveland Clinic Chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine, the worst cases of homeopathic supplement fraud come from scam artists pretending to be healers of some sort. Though not out to deliberately cause harm, the consequences for selling faulty drugs can be fatal, as Steve Jobs found out.
As everyone knows, Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, and was one of the most brilliant minds on the planet. However, what many people did not know was that Jobs had a strong faith and belief in homeopathic medicine, and according to Barrie Cassileth, chief of integrative medicine at New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, this may have been a contributing factor in his death.
Instead of going into surgery, Jobs practiced nine months of acupuncture, herbs, bowel cleansing, and a special diet of carrots and fruit juices to treat himself. Jobs eventually caved and had surgery to receive a liver transplant, but by then it was too late. Jobs died in 2011, and would most likely still be alive if he had chosen surgery, according to Cassileth.
If you believe that you or a loved one have been the victim of a homeopathic scam or false advertisement, you have legal options. Please visit the Boericke & Tafel Homeopathic False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit Investigation for more information and to receive a free legal review of your potential case.
Updated July 8th, 2013
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8 thoughts onBoericke & Tafel Homeopathic Remedies Under Scrutiny
It’s an imperfect world, and greed drive’s most law suits. As a result, we lose as consumers. Novitra was a superior product and did not deserve to be eliminated from the market place. I only hope the people who profited from this litigation will suffer as I have with Herpes simplex. It’s only fitting, poetic justice.
I love the Boericke and Taffel products and all the homeopathic. They have always worked to take care of all of my health problems.
I am sorry the medical professionals feel they have to try force their methods on us
Instead of fighting us, they need to be a part of something that actually works!!!
I too had more success with Novitra. Someone PLEASE tell me where I can find thus again! Nothing works as well as this!
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I am so sad to hear I can no longer purchase the one product that actually worked for me. As soon as I would notice any signs of a cold sore starting, I would immediately apply Novitra. Usually, the cold sore never was visible. I have told everyone about it and just gave my last tube away to my son with the intention of just purchasing more. What a disappointing shock that the actions of the few have once again made the rest of us suffer. I hope the company can some day restart production.
I too am in a quandary trying to find a substitute product for Novitra. I have battled cold sores my entire life and despite trying every OTC product and being treated by a medical doctor I was unable to find relief. Ten days (or more) of the painful swelling, blisters, itching, scabbing, and bleeding of these horrid afflictions. Then, I found Novitra. I don’t know why it worked, but it did! Now, I can’t purchase the one product that worked for me. Just as medical solutions don’t work the same for everyone, homeopathic remedies don’t work for everyone. Please bring Novitra back!
I feel the Same way. I was battling some major cold sore out brakes, and I went and bought this small tube of cold sore medicine that was short of a miracle and mark my word when I say I thought my herpes simplex was cured for good. I went years without a single out brake after a few times of using Novitra. I thought oh my god, I just found the cure for My cold sore problem. I went so many years without having another outbreak that I totally forgot the name of the medication I have used. My cold sores are back and I look up the names of all the medications and there it was. The name was Novitra. I don’t know what this medicine had in it that worked so well on me but it worked. I swear that I thought I had found the cure for my cold sores. I’m going on a quest to find this medicine and try it one more time. Johnny Martinez
Novitra was my choice of cold sore medicine. I always had, at least, two tubes on hand at all times. But then, Novitra was discontinued sometime around 2011. What to do?? I have had cold sores on a regular basis as long as I can remember; I’m 64 now. Tried this, tried that but nothing worked as well as Novitra. Searching online, I discovered Releev. Bought two little bottles, 6ml each. Releev is a liquid rather then a cream like Novitra. Had my first cold sore in a while about one week ago (1-7-17). It arrived almost overnight. Broke out the Releev and in two days my cold sore was nearly gone, stopped dead in its tracks. The sore never busted, crusted or bled. Day four or five (can’t remember) cold sore was gone. Releev is a bit expensive, so was Novitra, but it works! It works for me anyway. Good “schtuff!” “I feel good, da-na-na-na-na-na I knew that I would now.” (Apologies/credit to James Brown)
I am so sorry to hear about this. The allopathic medical pharmaceutical industrial complex has tried to extinguish herbal, naturopathic and homeopathic medicines that they feel threaten their monopoly. Novitra, made by Boericke & Tafel, was by far the most effective and affordable (cost effective) solutions for my cold sores. Nothing has come close to it’s speed at clearing up my cold sores. And now, it’s been discontinued by this asinine class action suites. What is absurd is that homeopathic drugs are slammed for false advertising. Well, my father was told that radiation and chemotherapy would cure his cancer. He’s dead. A friend of ours abandoned radiation and chemotherapy and chose instead the “Steve Jobs method” and he’s alive. Nothing works the same for everyone. But, that some remedies don’t work the same for everyone does not mean that they are just placebo. I can tell you — Novitra worked instantly on cold sores. And not just for me — check out the Amazon reviews. Hundreds wrote the same thing. Don’t support this class action law suit — unless you personally are sure that there was an intention to lie. Great products like Novitra are no longer available b/c of this witch hunt.