General fitness, health and nutrition · Public discussion

Coral Calcium Fraud

Ian Goddard · 2003-11-01T13:45:10+00:00

CRN: "Mr. Barefoot's [ coral calcium ] promotional materials provide a textbook example of health fraud." http://www.crnusa.org/pdfs/CRNFDAFTCCoralCalc051503.pdf Introduction The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a leading dietary supplement trade association representing ingredient suppliers and finished product manufacturers. Our members adhere to a strong code of ethics, comply with dosage limits and manufacture dietary supplements to high quality standards under good manufacturing practices. CRN's mission is to improve the environment for member companies to responsibly market dietary supplements, by enhancing confidence among health care professionals, decision makers, media and consumers, and to sustain the future growth of the industry based on principles of sound science. Consistent with that mission, CRN is writing to urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take enforcement action to prohibit the current "miracle cure" marketing claims for the dietary supplement, coral calcium. The most egregious claims originate from the books, infomercials, interviews and web sites of Robert Barefoot. As detailed below, Mr. Barefoot claims that coral calcium can cure or prevent virtually all degenerative diseases. Many other marketers of other coral calcium products repeat Mr. Barefoot's theories and claims. These claims are ubiquitous, appearing on a frequently aired television infomercial, on thousands of internet web sites, and in countless print ads, brochures and other promotional items. As part of FDA's new Consumer Health Information initiative, both FDA Commissioner McClellan and FTC Chairman Muris have affirmed the agencies' commitment to strong enforcement against false and misleading dietary supplement claims. Coral calcium is one of the most aggressively and pervasively promoted dietary supplements on the market today. Moreover, many of the claims have no scientific support and relate to serious life-threatening diseases. Permitting the continuation of such highly visible and fraudulent claims does grave disservice to consumers who turn to the marketplace for information about their health. This, in turn, undermines consumer confidence in the dietary supplement market as a whole, inevitably harming those responsible companies who provide quality products based on sound science. Accordingly, CRN urges the FTC and FDA to take enforcement action to enjoin Robert Barefoot from disseminating these fraudulent health claims for coral calcium. As part of this action, the FTC and FDA should notify the many other companies marketing coral calcium products using Mr. Barefoot's unsubstantiated theories and claims that the agencies believe those claims are false and misleading in violation of federal law. "Miracle Cure" Claims for Coral Calcium Coral calcium is the fossilized shells of sea creatures i.e., dead coral and is found both above ground ("stony fossilized") and in the ocean ("marine grade") in the vicinity of Okinawa, Japan [1]. It consists primarily of calcium carbonate, along with magnesium and numerous trace minerals, such as selenium and chromium. There are many different brands of coral calcium on the market, many of which are allegedly formulated by Robert Barefoot. One website alone lists nineteen different brands of coral calcium, some of which are enhanced with additional vitamins and minerals [2]. While coral calcium supplements undoubtedly provide the proven health benefits of calcium for bone health, the claims for coral calcium spread by Mr. Barefoot and his progeny go way beyond any existing scientific support. For example, in audio and print interviews [3] and on his website [4], Mr. Barefoot claims that over 200 degenerative diseases are caused by calcium and mineral deficiency, and that taking coral calcium will prevent or cure these diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's. He asserts that coral calcium could cure 90% of all diseases within 2 years. He claims to have met "millions of people" who have been cured by coral calcium, e.g., to have seen patients with multiple sclerosis "get out of wheelchairs just by getting on coral." He alludes, without any citations, to clinical studies at renowned research institutions (e.g., The Strang Cancer Center) and articles in prestigious medical journals (e.g., Journal of the American Medical Association), purportedly proving that calcium can reverse cancer. He accuses the medical community and pharmaceutical companies of keeping this information from the public in order to gain from the sale of unnecessary prescription drugs. ("Disease is very profitable; cures aren't." [5]. As support for the miraculous properties of coral calcium, Mr. Barefoot points to the longevity of the people of Okinawa. According to Mr. Barefoot, the reason Okinawans live so long ("140 years and going"[6]) is because of the coral calcium in their diets. However, the investigators of the renowned Okinawan Centenarian Study, a population-based study of hundred-year-olds and other elderly in Okinawa, have disputed this assertion [7]. Compelled to issue a position statement in response to Mr. Barefoot, the investigators state: Most of the health claims being made about coral calcium from Okinawa are based on the fact that the Okinawans are among the world's longest lived people and supposedly drink water containing coral calcium. Although Okinawa may have the world's highest concentration of centenarians, as well as extremely low mortality rates from diseases common in the West such as heart disease, breast and prostate cancers, the research shows that it has very little to do with their drinking water, as we explain in detail in our book "The Okinawa Program". Although drinking hard water (high mineral content that includes calcium, magnesium and other minerals) gives the Okinawans a boost in their calcium intakes, they still fall far below the calcium intakes of most Western countries. The average calcium intake in Okinawa is only about 500 mg a day . . . a far cry from claims of "100,000 mg of calcium a day" for the average Okinawan as claimed in a recent TV infomercial [8]. These claims represent only a small number among many examples of the egregious, false and unsubstantiated claims that Mr. Barefoot and others use to market coral calcium products. In fact, Mr. Barefoot's promotional materials provide a textbook example of health fraud as described by the FTC and FDA in the consumer brochure Miracle Health Claims: Add a Dose of Skepticism [9]. That publication lists the types of claims that the FTC and FDA have encountered over and over again in fraudulent advertising and labeling, all of which appear in Mr. Barefoot's television infomercial and websites, and are repeated by thousands of other marketers of coral calcium. Examples include: * Statements that the product is a quick and effective cure-all or diagnostic tool for a wide variety of ailments. * Statements that suggest the product can treat or cure diseases. * Promotions that use words like "scientific breakthrough," "miraculous cure," "exclusive product," "secret ingredient" or "ancient remedy." * Text that uses impressive-sounding terms. * Undocumented case histories or personal testimonials by consumers or doctors claiming amazing results. Marketplace Saturation of Deceptive Coral Calcium Claims As stated above, claims for coral calcium are ubiquitous. The coral calcium infomercial featuring Robert Barefoot was rated the most frequently aired infomercial in March 2003 [10]. An online search using Google reveals over 150,000 links for coral calcium and over 100,000 for Robert Barefoot. Thousands of websites sell the supplement, many of which repeat Barefoot's theories and claims, sell his books, and make his television interviews available for downloading. In addition, the campaign has attracted the attention of the public health community and the media, warning consumers that the claims lack any scientific basis. Reports have appeared in the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter [11], Prevention Magazine [12], Dr. Andrew Weil's website [13],and on Good Morning America [14], debunking the cure-all claims for coral calcium. Recently, an article in Time Magazine opined that Mr. Barefoot's campaign was "one of the most successful scams of our age," and suggested that it was well past time for the government to take action [15]. Conclusion CRN requests that the FTC and the FDA take appropriate enforcement action to end Mr. Barefoot's highly visible and deceptive marketing campaign for coral calcium, and to prevent Mr. Barefoot from further fraudulent activities. In addition, we urge the agencies to publicize this action and notify other entities marketing coral calcium through the use of such claims that they are in violation of federal law. Such action is consistent with the policy objectives of the agencies' recently announced Consumer Health Information for Better Nutrition Initiative, and with the goals of Operation Cure All and the Health Fraud Task Force. More importantly, strong enforcement action will be an critical step in reassuring consumers, the public health community, the industry and the media that the federal government will not tolerate health fraud of this magnitude, and will provide a more fair and equitable marketplace for those dietary supplement companies who support their marketing claims with sound science. Respectfully, Annette Dickinson, Ph.D. President Footnotes [1] Holt, M.D., Steven, Nature's Benefit from Coral Calcium, Sorting Facts from Fiction, available at http://www.wellnesspublishing.com/nbcc.html. [2] http://www.thesupremecalcium.com/cc_bottles.html. [3] http://www.coralcalciumsupply.com/robertbarefoot.html (interview by Lee Davis); http://www.coral1.com/bob.html (interview by Kevin Trudeau). [4] http://www.cureamerica.net/. [5]http://www.coral-calcium-supplement.net/barefoot_coral_calcium_interview.htm (Lee interview). [6] http://www.thesupremecalcium.com/bob_barefoot_interview.html (Lee interview). [7] http://www.okinawaprogram.com/index.html. The goal of the Okinawa Centenarian Study is to uncover the genetic and lifestyle factors responsible for the longevity of the Okinawans. [8] http://www.okinawaprogram.com/coral_calcium/coral-calcium.html. [9] Miracle Health Claims: Add a Dose of Skepticism (joint FTC-FDA publication issued Sept. 2001), available at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/frdheal.htm. [10] Weekly Top Infomercials available at http://www.jwgreensheet.com/rweek.asp. [11] "Coral Calcium: How To Sell a 5¢ supplement for $1." UC Berkeley Wellness Letter.Com, February 2003, available at http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/ds/dsCoralCalcium.php. [12] "Spotlight on Coral Calcium: Four Tips to Help You Evaluate Supplement Ads," available at http://www.prevention.com/cda/feature2002/0,4780,4534_P,00.html. [13] "Counting on Coral Calcium?" available at http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.htmlcommand=TodayQA-pt=Question-questionId=73935. [14] "False Hope? Experts Doubt Coral Calcium Infomercial Health Claims," available at http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/Living/coral_calcium030511.html. [15] "Coral Calcium: A Barefoot Scam," available at http://www.time.com/time/columnist/jaroff/article/0,9565,433084,00.html. ****************************************************************************** http://www.crnusa.org/pdfs/CRNFDAFTCCoralCalc051503.pdf ****************************************************************************** http://IanGoddard.net/journal.htm "To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals." Ben Franklin Ongoing CR monkey study update: "In the monkeys...those on reduced feeding since the study started are dying at a rate that is about half that of the monkeys receiving a full food ration." Associated Press: Eating less may extend human life. August 1, 2002 : http://www.msnbc.com/news/788746.asp?0si=-

Started by Ian Goddard · 1 November 2003 · Last activity 1 November 2003 · 3 posts · 1,204 views

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Published: 1 November 2003
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Original author: Ian Goddard
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Original post
Ian Goddard
Archived post

1 November 2003, 13:45 UTC #1

CRN: "Mr. Barefoot's [ coral calcium ] promotional materials provide a textbook example of
health fraud."
crnusa.orgCRNFDAFTCCoralCalc051503.pdf
Introduction
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a leading dietary supplement trade
association representing ingredient suppliers and finished product manufacturers. Our members adhere
to a strong code of ethics, comply with dosage limits and manufacture dietary supplements to high
quality standards under good manufacturing practices.
CRN's mission is to improve the environment for member companies to responsibly market dietary
supplements, by enhancing confidence among health care professionals, decision makers, media and
consumers, and to sustain the future growth of the industry based on principles of sound science.
Consistent with that mission, CRN is writing to urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) to take enforcement action to prohibit the current "miracle cure"
marketing claims for the dietary supplement, coral calcium. The most egregious claims originate from
the books, infomercials, interviews and web sites of Robert Barefoot. As detailed below, Mr.
Barefoot claims that coral calcium can cure or prevent virtually all degenerative diseases. Many
other marketers of other coral calcium products repeat Mr. Barefoot's theories and claims. These
claims are ubiquitous, appearing on a frequently aired television infomercial, on thousands of
internet web sites, and in countless print ads, brochures and other promotional items.
As part of FDA's new Consumer Health Information initiative, both FDA Commissioner McClellan and FTC
Chairman Muris have affirmed the agencies' commitment to strong enforcement against false and
misleading dietary supplement claims. Coral calcium is one of the most aggressively and pervasively
promoted dietary supplements on the market today. Moreover, many of the claims have no scientific
support and relate to serious life-threatening diseases. Permitting the continuation of such highly
visible and fraudulent claims does grave disservice to consumers who turn to the marketplace for
information about their health. This, in turn, undermines consumer confidence in the dietary
supplement market as a whole, inevitably harming those responsible companies who provide quality
products based on sound science. Accordingly, CRN urges the FTC and FDA to take enforcement action
to enjoin Robert Barefoot from disseminating these fraudulent health claims for coral calcium. As
part of this action, the FTC and FDA should notify the many other companies marketing coral calcium
products using Mr. Barefoot's unsubstantiated theories and claims that the agencies believe those
claims are false and misleading in violation of federal law.
"Miracle Cure" Claims for Coral Calcium
Coral calcium is the fossilized shells of sea creatures i.e., dead coral and is found both above
ground ("stony fossilized"😉 and in the ocean ("marine grade"😉 in the vicinity of Okinawa, Japan [1].
It consists primarily of calcium carbonate, along with magnesium and numerous trace minerals, such
as selenium and chromium. There are many different brands of coral calcium on the market, many of
which are allegedly formulated by Robert Barefoot. One website alone lists nineteen different brands
of coral calcium, some of which are enhanced with additional vitamins and minerals [2]. While coral
calcium supplements undoubtedly provide the proven health benefits of calcium for bone health, the
claims for coral calcium spread by Mr. Barefoot and his progeny go way beyond any existing
scientific support.
For example, in audio and print interviews [3] and on his website [4],
Mr. Barefoot claims that over 200 degenerative diseases are caused by calcium and mineral
deficiency, and that taking coral calcium will prevent or cure these diseases, including cancer,
heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's. He asserts that coral calcium could cure 90% of all
diseases within 2 years. He claims to have met "millions of people" who have been cured by coral
calcium, e.g., to have seen patients with multiple sclerosis "get out of wheelchairs just by
getting on coral." He alludes, without any citations, to clinical studies at renowned research
institutions (e.g., The Strang Cancer Center) and articles in prestigious medical journals
(e.g., Journal of the American Medical Association), purportedly proving that calcium can
reverse cancer. He accuses the medical community and pharmaceutical companies of keeping this
information from the public in order to gain from the sale of unnecessary prescription drugs.
("Disease is very profitable; cures aren't." [5].
As support for the miraculous properties of coral calcium, Mr. Barefoot points to the longevity of
the people of Okinawa. According to Mr. Barefoot, the reason Okinawans live so long ("140 years and
going"[6]) is because of the coral calcium in their diets. However, the investigators of the
renowned Okinawan Centenarian Study, a population-based study of hundred-year-olds and other elderly
in Okinawa, have disputed this assertion [7]. Compelled to issue a position statement in response to
Mr. Barefoot, the investigators state:
Most of the health claims being made about coral calcium from Okinawa are based on the fact that the
Okinawans are among the world's longest lived people and supposedly drink water containing coral
calcium. Although Okinawa may have the world's highest concentration of centenarians, as well as
extremely low mortality rates from diseases common in the West such as heart disease, breast and
prostate cancers, the research shows that it has very little to do with their drinking water, as we
explain in detail in our book "The Okinawa Program". Although drinking hard water (high mineral
content that includes calcium, magnesium and other minerals) gives the Okinawans a boost in their
calcium intakes, they still fall far below the calcium intakes of most Western countries. The
average calcium intake in Okinawa is only about 500 mg a day . . . a far cry from claims of "100,000
mg of calcium a day" for the average Okinawan as claimed in a recent TV infomercial [8].
These claims represent only a small number among many examples of the egregious, false and
unsubstantiated claims that Mr. Barefoot and others use to market coral calcium products. In fact,
Mr. Barefoot's promotional materials provide a textbook example of health fraud as described by the
FTC and FDA in the consumer brochure Miracle Health Claims: Add a Dose of Skepticism [9]. That
publication lists the types of claims that the FTC and FDA have encountered over and over again in
fraudulent advertising and labeling, all of which appear in Mr. Barefoot's television infomercial
and websites, and are repeated by thousands of other marketers of coral calcium. Examples include:
* Statements that the product is a quick and effective cure-all or diagnostic tool for a wide
variety of ailments.
* Statements that suggest the product can treat or cure diseases.
* Promotions that use words like "scientific breakthrough," "miraculous cure," "exclusive product,"
"secret ingredient" or "ancient remedy."
* Text that uses impressive-sounding terms.
* Undocumented case histories or personal testimonials by consumers or doctors claiming
amazing results.
Marketplace Saturation of Deceptive Coral Calcium Claims
As stated above, claims for coral calcium are ubiquitous. The coral calcium infomercial featuring
Robert Barefoot was rated the most frequently aired infomercial in March 2003 [10]. An online search
using Google reveals over 150,000 links for coral calcium and over 100,000 for Robert Barefoot.
Thousands of websites sell the supplement, many of which repeat Barefoot's theories and claims, sell
his books, and make his television interviews available for downloading.
In addition, the campaign has attracted the attention of the public health community and the media,
warning consumers that the claims lack any scientific basis. Reports have appeared in the UC
Berkeley Wellness Letter [11], Prevention Magazine [12], Dr. Andrew Weil's website [13],and on Good
Morning America [14], debunking the cure-all claims for coral calcium. Recently, an article in Time
Magazine opined that Mr. Barefoot's campaign was "one of the most successful scams of our age," and
suggested that it was well past time for the government to take action [15].
Conclusion
CRN requests that the FTC and the FDA take appropriate enforcement action to end Mr. Barefoot's
highly visible and deceptive marketing campaign for coral calcium, and to prevent Mr. Barefoot from
further fraudulent activities. In addition, we urge the agencies to publicize this action and notify
other entities marketing coral calcium through the use of such claims that they are in violation of
federal law. Such action is consistent with the policy objectives of the agencies' recently
announced Consumer Health Information for Better Nutrition Initiative, and with the goals of
Operation Cure All and the Health Fraud Task Force. More importantly, strong enforcement action will
be an critical step in reassuring consumers, the public health community, the industry and the media
that the federal government will not tolerate health fraud of this magnitude, and will provide a
more fair and equitable marketplace for those dietary supplement companies who support their
marketing claims with sound science.
Respectfully,
Annette Dickinson, Ph.D. President
Footnotes
[1] Holt, M.D., Steven, Nature's Benefit from Coral Calcium, Sorting Facts from Fiction, available
at wellnesspublishing.comnbcc.html.
[2] thesupremecalcium.comcc bottles.html.
[3] coralcalciumsupply.comrobertbarefoot.html (interview by Lee Davis);
coral1.combob.html (interview by Kevin Trudeau).
[4] cureamerica.netcureamerica.net.
[5]coral-calcium-supplement.netbarefoot coral calcium interview.htm (Lee interview).
[6] thesupremecalcium.combob barefoot interview.html (Lee interview).
[7] okinawaprogram.comindex.html. The goal of the Okinawa Centenarian Study is to
uncover the genetic and lifestyle factors responsible for the longevity of the Okinawans.
[8] okinawaprogram.comcoral calcium.html.
[9] Miracle Health Claims: Add a Dose of Skepticism (joint FTC-FDA publication issued Sept. 2001),
available at ftc.govfrdheal.htm.
[10] Weekly Top Infomercials available at jwgreensheet.comrweek.asp.
[11] "Coral Calcium: How To Sell a 5¢ supplement for $1." UC Berkeley Wellness Letter.Com, February
2003, available at berkeleywellness.comdsCoralCalcium.php.
[12] "Spotlight on Coral Calcium: Four Tips to Help You Evaluate Supplement Ads," available at
prevention.com0,4780,4534 P,00.html.
[13] "Counting on Coral Calcium?" available at
drweil.comdrw cda.htmlcommand=TodayQA pt=Question questionId=73935.
[14] "False Hope? Experts Doubt Coral Calcium Infomercial Health Claims," available at
abcnews.go.comcoral calcium030511.html.
[15] "Coral Calcium: A Barefoot Scam," available at
time.com0,9565,433084,00.html.
******************************************************************************
crnusa.orgCRNFDAFTCCoralCalc051503.pdf
******************************************************************************
iangoddard.netjournal.htm
"To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals." Ben Franklin
Ongoing CR monkey study update: "In the monkeys...those on reduced feeding since the study started
are dying at a rate that is about half that of the monkeys receiving a full food ration."
Associated Press: Eating less may extend human life. August 1, 2002 :
msnbc.com788746.asp

Report
Matt Gugan
Archived post

1 November 2003, 13:48 UTC #2

you can tell he's a fraud just by the way he responds to the questions.....hesitating and stuttering
i've watched the commercial numerous times and laughed over and over and over.
"Ian Goddard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

CRN: "Mr. Barefoot's [ coral calcium ] promotional materials provide a textbook example of
health fraud."
crnusa.orgCRNFDAFTCCoralCalc051503.pdf
Introduction
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a leading dietary supplement
trade association representing ingredient suppliers and finished product manufacturers. Our
members adhere to a strong code of ethics, comply with dosage limits and manufacture dietary
supplements to high quality standards under good manufacturing practices.
CRN's mission is to improve the environment for member companies to responsibly market dietary
supplements, by enhancing confidence among health care professionals, decision makers, media and
consumers, and to sustain the future growth of the industry based on principles of sound
science. Consistent with that mission, CRN is writing to urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take enforcement action to prohibit the current
"miracle cure" marketing claims for the dietary supplement, coral calcium. The most egregious
claims originate from the books, infomercials, interviews and web sites of Robert Barefoot. As
detailed below, Mr. Barefoot claims that coral calcium can cure or prevent virtually all
degenerative diseases. Many other marketers of other coral calcium products repeat Mr.
Barefoot's theories and claims. These claims are ubiquitous, appearing on a frequently aired
television infomercial, on thousands of internet web sites, and in countless print ads,
brochures and other promotional items.
As part of FDA's new Consumer Health Information initiative, both FDA Commissioner McClellan and
FTC Chairman Muris have affirmed the agencies' commitment to strong enforcement against false and
misleading dietary supplement claims. Coral calcium is one of the most aggressively and
pervasively promoted dietary supplements on the market today. Moreover, many of the claims have no
scientific support and relate to serious life-threatening diseases. Permitting the continuation of
such highly visible and fraudulent claims does grave disservice to consumers who turn to the
marketplace for information about their health. This, in turn, undermines consumer confidence in
the dietary supplement market as a whole, inevitably harming those responsible companies who
provide quality products based on sound science. Accordingly, CRN urges the FTC and FDA to take
enforcement action to enjoin Robert Barefoot from disseminating these fraudulent health claims for
coral calcium. As part of this action, the FTC and FDA should notify the many other companies
marketing coral calcium products using Mr. Barefoot's unsubstantiated theories and claims that the
agencies believe those claims are false and misleading in violation of federal law.
"Miracle Cure" Claims for Coral Calcium
Coral calcium is the fossilized shells of sea creatures i.e., dead coral and is found both
above ground ("stony fossilized"😉 and in the ocean ("marine grade"😉 in the vicinity of Okinawa,
Japan [1]. It consists primarily of calcium carbonate, along with magnesium and numerous trace
minerals, such as selenium and chromium. There are many different brands of coral calcium on the
market, many of which are allegedly formulated by Robert Barefoot. One website alone lists
nineteen different brands of coral calcium, some of which are enhanced with additional vitamins
and minerals [2]. While coral calcium supplements undoubtedly provide the proven health benefits
of calcium for bone health, the claims for coral calcium spread by Mr. Barefoot and his progeny go
way beyond any existing scientific support.
For example, in audio and print interviews [3] and on his website [4],
Mr. Barefoot claims that over 200 degenerative diseases are caused by calcium and mineral
deficiency, and that taking coral calcium will prevent or cure these diseases, including
cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's. He asserts that coral calcium could cure 90%
of all diseases within 2 years. He claims to have met "millions of people" who have been cured
by coral calcium, e.g., to have seen patients with multiple sclerosis "get out of wheelchairs
just by getting on coral." He alludes, without any citations, to clinical studies at renowned
research institutions (e.g., The Strang Cancer Center) and articles in prestigious medical
journals (e.g., Journal of the American Medical Association), purportedly proving that calcium
can reverse cancer. He accuses the medical community and pharmaceutical companies of keeping
this information from the public in order to gain from the sale of unnecessary prescription
drugs. ("Disease is very profitable; cures aren't." [5].
As support for the miraculous properties of coral calcium, Mr. Barefoot points to the longevity of
the people of Okinawa. According to Mr. Barefoot, the reason Okinawans live so long ("140 years
and going"[6]) is because of the coral calcium in their diets. However, the investigators of the
renowned Okinawan Centenarian Study, a population-based study of hundred-year-olds and other
elderly in Okinawa, have disputed this assertion [7]. Compelled to issue a position statement in
response to Mr. Barefoot, the investigators state:
Most of the health claims being made about coral calcium from Okinawa are based on the fact that
the Okinawans are among the world's longest lived people and supposedly drink water containing
coral calcium. Although Okinawa may have the world's highest concentration of centenarians, as
well as extremely low mortality rates from diseases common in the West such as heart disease,
breast and prostate cancers, the research shows that it has very little to do with their drinking
water, as we explain in detail in our book "The Okinawa Program". Although drinking hard water
(high mineral content that includes calcium, magnesium and other minerals) gives the Okinawans a
boost in their calcium intakes, they still fall far below the calcium intakes of most Western
countries. The average calcium intake in Okinawa is only about 500 mg a day . . . a far cry from
claims of "100,000 mg of calcium a day" for the average Okinawan as claimed in a recent TV
infomercial [8].
These claims represent only a small number among many examples of the egregious, false and
unsubstantiated claims that Mr. Barefoot and others use to market coral calcium products. In fact,
Mr. Barefoot's promotional materials provide a textbook example of health fraud as described by
the FTC and FDA in the consumer brochure Miracle Health Claims: Add a Dose of Skepticism [9]. That
publication lists the types of claims that the FTC and FDA have encountered over and over again in
fraudulent advertising and labeling, all of which appear in Mr. Barefoot's television infomercial
and websites, and are repeated by thousands of other marketers of coral calcium. Examples include:
* Statements that the product is a quick and effective cure-all or diagnostic tool for a wide
variety of ailments.
* Statements that suggest the product can treat or cure diseases.
* Promotions that use words like "scientific breakthrough," "miraculous cure," "exclusive
product," "secret ingredient" or "ancient remedy."
* Text that uses impressive-sounding terms.
* Undocumented case histories or personal testimonials by consumers or doctors claiming amazing
results.
Marketplace Saturation of Deceptive Coral Calcium Claims
As stated above, claims for coral calcium are ubiquitous. The coral calcium infomercial featuring
Robert Barefoot was rated the most frequently aired infomercial in March 2003 [10]. An online
search using Google reveals over 150,000 links for coral calcium and over 100,000 for Robert
Barefoot. Thousands of websites sell the supplement, many of which repeat Barefoot's theories and
claims, sell his books, and make his television interviews available for downloading.
In addition, the campaign has attracted the attention of the public health community and the
media, warning consumers that the claims lack any scientific basis. Reports have appeared in the
UC Berkeley Wellness Letter [11], Prevention Magazine [12], Dr. Andrew Weil's website [13],and on
Good Morning America [14], debunking the cure-all claims for coral calcium. Recently, an article
in Time Magazine opined that Mr. Barefoot's campaign was "one of the most successful scams of our
age," and suggested that it was well past time for the government to take action [15].
Conclusion
CRN requests that the FTC and the FDA take appropriate enforcement action to end Mr. Barefoot's
highly visible and deceptive marketing campaign for coral calcium, and to prevent Mr. Barefoot
from further fraudulent activities. In addition, we urge the agencies to publicize this action and
notify other entities marketing coral calcium through the use of such claims that they are in
violation of federal law. Such action is consistent with the policy objectives of the agencies'
recently announced Consumer Health Information for Better Nutrition Initiative, and with the goals
of Operation Cure All and the Health Fraud Task Force. More importantly, strong enforcement action
will be an critical step in reassuring consumers, the public health community, the industry and
the media that the federal government will not tolerate health fraud of this magnitude, and will
provide a more fair and equitable marketplace for those dietary supplement companies who support
their marketing claims with sound science.
Respectfully,
Annette Dickinson, Ph.D. President
Footnotes
[1] Holt, M.D., Steven, Nature's Benefit from Coral Calcium, Sorting Facts from Fiction,
available at wellnesspublishing.comnbcc.html.
[2] thesupremecalcium.comcc bottles.html.
[3] coralcalciumsupply.comrobertbarefoot.html (interview by Lee Davis);
coral1.combob.html (interview by Kevin Trudeau).
[4] cureamerica.netcureamerica.net.
[5]

coral-calcium-supplement.netbarefoot coral calcium interview.htm
Quoted message said:
(Lee interview).
[6] thesupremecalcium.combob barefoot interview.html (Lee interview).
[7] okinawaprogram.comindex.html. The goal of the Okinawa Centenarian Study is to
uncover the genetic and lifestyle factors responsible for the longevity of the Okinawans.
[8] okinawaprogram.comcoral calcium.html.
[9] Miracle Health Claims: Add a Dose of Skepticism (joint FTC-FDA publication issued Sept.
2001), available at ftc.govfrdheal.htm.
[10] Weekly Top Infomercials available at jwgreensheet.comrweek.asp.
[11] "Coral Calcium: How To Sell a 5¢ supplement for $1." UC Berkeley Wellness Letter.Com,
February 2003, available at berkeleywellness.comdsCoralCalcium.php.
[12] "Spotlight on Coral Calcium: Four Tips to Help You Evaluate Supplement Ads," available at
prevention.com0,4780,4534 P,00.html.
[13] "Counting on Coral Calcium?" available at

drweil.comdrw cda.htmlcommand=TodayQA pt=Question questionId=73935.
Quoted message said:

[14] "False Hope? Experts Doubt Coral Calcium Infomercial Health Claims," available at
abcnews.go.comcoral calcium030511.html.
[15] "Coral Calcium: A Barefoot Scam," available at
time.com0,9565,433084,00.html.

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Quoted message said:
crnusa.orgCRNFDAFTCCoralCalc051503.pdf

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Quoted message said:
iangoddard.netjournal.htm
"To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals." Ben Franklin
Ongoing CR monkey study update: "In the monkeys...those on reduced feeding since the study
started are dying at a rate that is about half that of the monkeys receiving a full food
ration." Associated Press: Eating less may extend human life. August 1, 2002 :
msnbc.com788746.asp

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Rob
Archived post

1 November 2003, 13:48 UTC #3

Ian Goddard <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:
CRN: "Mr. Barefoot's [ coral calcium ] promotional materials provide a textbook example of
health fraud."

ETC>
As one who is fascinated by both developments in evidence based nutrition and in propaganda (I wrote
TV commercials for products such as Bufferin, Arthritis Pain Formula, Bronkaid and others)I've been
astounded by the continued ability of Mr. Barefoot to make the claims he does. And I'm also alarmed
by Barefoot because excessive calcium supplementation seems to be a well documented risk factor for
prostate cancer.
Contrary to glib opinion that all TV commercials are a complete pack of lies, TV commercial health
claims are regulated rather closely: first by the code of the National Association of Broadcasters,
then by the Networks continuity acceptance departments (television commercial speech is censored by
major networks) and, of course, by the FTC.
This is not to say that there is not room for some exaggeraiton of evidence and from time to time
the "weaseling" of claims. (The claim "Bufferin gets into your bloodstream twice as fast as aspirin"
is true, but it was well-known that consummers when hearing this claim in context of headache
construed this to be "Bufferin cures your headache twice as fast as aspirin."😉
So how does Barefoot get away with what he does? My guess is that most of these "info"mercials
run on non-NAB subscriber cable chanels which also have no or very little continuity
acceptance policies.
That leaves the FTC. Usually, the FTC is able to shut down blatant and egregious false-claim
commericials quickly with a "cease and desist" which requires the believed offender to cease with
the commercials and to prove claims at a hearing. If claims cannot be proved, the matter is
prosecuted in court with heavy fines and at times, jail sententences being levied. (One Florida
real-estate would-be guru and wife were sentenced to 25 years each for blatant falsification.
Why hasn't the FTC acted in the case of Barefoot? Apparently (and hang on to your incredulity here),
because there is a kernel of truth to the claims. What claims does he make? I've parsed the
following:
1. Increasing acidosis in older adults is a unrecognized root cause for many degenerative diseases.
2. Countering acidosis with calcium makes possible the amelioration or, at times, the complete
reversal of many or most degenerative diseases.
3. Coral calcium is the best way to be provided with calcium because it is naturally "complete" with
72 other crucially required minerals, chief among these, magnesium, and is more absorbable
because it is "naturally ionized".
4.Barefoot coral calcium is best because it is 100% Okinawan, is harvested from naturally occuring
sources undersea, etc., etc.
As to claim 1, acidosis, there is medical opinion out there, and some research to back it up, that
acidosis is a factor in degenerative disease. (I would certainly like to see an investigation and
complete airing of this topic.) Barefoot mentions Strang clinic studies and other reputable if
out-of-the-mainstream medical research to back up his acidosis claim.
As to the claim that calcium is the best way to remedy acidosis, this is open to question. It would
seem to be the simplest and most direct. (Life Extension Foundation recommends Cimetidine
[Tagamet]as a beneficial life extending mediator for a complex endocrinal process that may simply
be, at base, acidocis.) While a debatable claim, Barefoot is open to make it.
As for whether his calcium is the best calcium, here again, Barefoot is free to make this claim for
to show it false, the FTC would have to show that the inclusion of 72 trace minerals, plus the
"ionization", plus the inclusion of calcefrol (vitamin D3) are of virtually no real benefit over
other calcium formulas.
The 400 IU units of calcerfol included in the barefoot formula is a very leveraged move. At
recommended dosage of 3 to 4 capsules a day, Barefoot Calcium Formula would deliver 3 to 4 times
the FDA recommended doasge of Vitamin D. There is evidence that in the D3 form, vitamin D can be
beneficial at higher dosages than that now recommended, particularly as a defense against
prostate cancer.
Even if reasonable case can be made regarding acidosis as a causitive factor in degenerative
disease, which is the claim basis of the entire 30 minutes of infopmercial, in both currently
running versions, I still cannot understand how Barefoot cannot be stopped from making many of his
more extreme claims: "We (my formula) can build a whole new brain...people come to me dieing and
they don't die, etc.
Above and beyond the extreme hype and exaggerated claims, it's a fascinating case. To me, anyway.

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