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The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) continues with intensive inspections of Internet sale of food supplements in connection with numerous cases of misusing of the concerns of the public about dissemination of the COVID-19 disease. CAFIA currently releases information on further cases of prohibited medical and unauthorised health claims used by some sellers of food supplements, namely indicating alleged effects against coronavirus. Sale and advertising on the Internet are concerned as unacceptable claims are used during promotion:

1. Internet sale on https://mamaselva.eu where the inspected person in section “STRENGHTENING OF THE IMMUNITY AGAINST CORONAVIRUS” offered a total of 18 products – food supplements. The name of the section itself is regarded as prohibited medical claim. Moreover, bookmark “Special Offer” redirected consumers to another part of the website with name “Coronavirus Package” where, inter alia, following claims were stated in relation to the offered food supplements: “Special package of Peruvian herbs and vitamins for step strengthening of the resistance of the organisms to CORONAVIRUS disease.” as well as “In the time of imminent CORONAVIRUS pandemic, we offer to you a set of natural products which help you to increase the resistance of your organism to the disease by up to 60% instead of classic pharmaceutic chemicals.” Company Mama Selva Herbs s.r.o. is the inspected person.

2. Internet sale on www.namaximum.cz where the inspected person released article under name “Coronavirus and immunity” of which section “FOOD SUPPLEMENTS MAINTAINING YOUR IMMUNITY IN GREAT CONDITION” contained a link to another website of the given domain offering food supplements. Furthermore, under bookmark “Wake up your immunity” where the inspected person offered larger amount of products, following claims were, inter alia, stated: “These days word immunity is mentioned more frequently than ever before just because of quickly spreading Covid-19 virus. For easier orientation in our e-shop we have prepared for you Immunity +  category where you can find products with positive effects on the human immunity system.” Company Green Medical s.r.o. is the inspected person.

3. Internet sale on www.tvojezdravi.eu where the inspected person indicated in relation to some food supplements following claims: “May help us in the time of coronavirus epidemic to increase both the overall immunity of our organisms and also the resistance of our airways, and survive possible disease in less serious form and without consequences.”, “As epithelium of airways is the biological target of the coronavirus, and pneumonia is the most frequent consequence, let’s have a look which immune mechanisms of the body could be activated and how we can help to the respiratory system to fight against the disease and minimise its possible consequences.”  Company Lott, s.r.o. is the inspected person.

4. Internet sale on www.econea.cz where in highlighted section “Green against Corona” the inspected person, inter alia, offered food supplements. The name of the section itself is regarded as prohibited medical claim. Company Econea s.r.o. is the inspected company.

5. Internet sale on www.essynbio.cz where the inspected person, inter alia, indicated in connection with the offer of a food supplement: “Provable antibacterial, antimicrobial and in particular antivirotic effects. Studies prove that monolaurin attacks the protection cover of viruses and causes thus their disintegration. Monolaurin was tested for E-coli bacteria, yeast cells including Candida albicans, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), Giardia lamblia, Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) and also human coronaviruses, namely with very positive effects.” Entity Lubomírek z.s. is the inspected person.

6. Internet sale on www.medicinka.cz where the inspected person, inter alia, stated: “Protection not only against coronavirus” and this information was stated in connection with several food supplements. Furthermore, in section “Strengthening of the Immunity and Prevention”, following statements, inter alia, are indicated: “Strengthening of the immunity, prevention against coronaviruses” as food supplements are offered here. The section of the website in question contained, inter alia, following claims: “How can we prepare for common flu and coronavirus against which there are no medicaments? Preferably by building not only our own immunity but also the immunity of our children and further family members and close persons. For this purpose we offer to you a complex portfolio of products for strengthening of your immunity for favourable price.” Company JANKAR PROFI s.r.o. is the inspected person.

7. Internet sale on https://bjococo.com/cz where the inspected person offered, inter alia, a food supplement in section “Prevention of Coronavirus”. The name of the section itself is regarded as prohibited medical claim. Moreover, one of the claims indicated in connection with the food supplement says “protects against cancer and pathological conditions”. Company BjoCoCo spol. s r.o. is the inspected person.

Using prohibited medical claims the operators failed to meet requirements of Regulation No. 1169/2011 on the Provision of Information to Consumers as well as the Act No. 40/1995 Coll., on Regulation of Advertisement

CAFIA strongly warns both consumers and operators that from the point of view of legislation, food supplements are regarded as foodstuffs and therefore they cannot be assigned by any medical or preventive effects which are reserved to medicaments only.

CAFIA will initiate an administrative procedure on imposition of a fine with the inspected persons.

CAFIA inspectors currently deal with further cases of suspicion of unauthorized medical claims at food supplements just in relation to the virus pandemic. CAFIA will therefore continue with inspections of this type of food supplements in the future.

CAFA has already informed of similar detections in its press releases of 27^th March 2020, 19^th March 2020 and 8^th April 2020.

Article by: Mgr. Pavel Kopřiva – CAFIA Spokesperson, phone: +420 542 426 633   

17^th April 2020