CAFIA is a state administration body subordinate to the Ministry of Agriculture. It is a state authority responsible for supervision of safety, quality and labelling of foodstuffs.

Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority

CAFIA is a state administration body subordinate to the Ministry of Agriculture. It is a state authority responsible for supervision of safety, quality and labelling of foodstuffs.

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CAFIA still detects cases of misusing the virus pandemic by some Internet sellers of food supplements

05/11/2020

Since the beginning of the emergency state, the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) has released 30 cases of misusing the concerns of the public related to COVID-19 disease by some sellers of food supplements on the Internet. These sellers offered their products using prohibited medical claims, namely indicating alleged effects against coronavirus. Food supplements are regarded as foodstuffs by legislation and therefore they cannot be assigned by any medical or preventive effects as these are reserved to medicaments only.

Summary of current detections:

Advertising of food supplements on www.super.cz, which could be purchased via a link to www.wurm-ex.cz. The inspected person stated here, inter alia, prohibited medical claims: “Coronavirus? What helps our immunity the most?”, “Immunity is the ability of an organism to fight against antigens and undesirable external and internal effects. Antigens are in particular cells of pathogenic organisms, viruses, parasites or tumoral cells.” Company Clinex a.s. is the inspected person.
Offer of food supplements on www.stacirna.cz, in the part named as “Against coronavirus”, the inspected person stated, inter alia, prohibited medical claims: “Fuss about coronavirus significantly increased interest in information, which natural products could be used as a prevention. If you want to protect yourself against coronavirus, you can buy the most effective natural antiviral - resin and vitamins to enhance your immunity.”, “What helps against coronavirus? Use natural Peruvian herbs and our preparations with a strong antiviral effect.” At selected products, the inspected person stated, inter alia: “This extract has strong antimicrobial, antibacterial, antimycotic and antiviral effects in particular against herpesviruses.”, “Effective as natural antibiotics”, “Antiviral extract set”, “Natural herbs and healing Peruvian herbs against coronavirus”, etc. Company Objednejte u nás s.r.o. is the inspected person.
Offer of food supplements on www.awashop.cz, the inspected person stated here, inter alia, prohibited medical claims: “Herbs effective in particular against viruses”, “Inhibition of any of these four non-structural functional proteins probably resistant to mutation is also a great promise in mitigating the COVID-19 disease and condition for healing from this highly dangerous infection.” Company RAZAT STYLE CZ, spol. s r.o. is the inspected person.
Offer of food supplements on https://shop.htbox.cz, the inspected person presented here, inter alia: “Special offer Korona Killer box” containing food supplements as well. The name of the offer itself is regarded as a prohibited medical claim. Company BLASTIME s.r.o. is the inspected person.
Offer of food supplements on www.detoxikace-deto.cz, the inspected person released here, inter alia, article “Coronavirus and how to manage it.” Using this information in relation with the offer of food supplements is regarded as a prohibited medical claim. Entity OLGA CHMUROVIČOVÁ, street 1. máje 519/23, Břeclav 691 41 is the inspected person.
Offer of food supplements on https://fitnessmuscle.eu/cs/corona-virus, the inspected person stated here, inter alia prohibited medical claims: ”Corona virus“, “Vitamins / Herbs / Nutrients helping enhancing the immunity.” Company Fresh2Go s.r.o. is the inspected person.
Offer of food supplements on www.kennyshop.cz, under section Coronavirus/Prevention, the inspected person offered food supplements. The name of the section of the e-shop where food supplements are offered, is regarded as a prohibited medical claim. Company Baby club Kenny, s. r. o. is the inspected person.
Offer of food supplements on www.cistamedicina.cz, the inspected person offered here, inter alia, prohibited medical claims: "CBD seems to reduce steadily the sensitivity to all types of viral infections. May be it is caused by improving the membrane permeability and by the function of the immunity protection. All this is based on 5-years’ experience with patients.”, “If you use CBD and you catch an infection, the illness usually lasts shorter time and has milder course.” Company Čistá Medicína s.r.o. is the inspected person.
Offer of food supplements on nutristamina.cz/cs/, the inspected person offered here, inter alia, food supplements by means of article “CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 RECOMMENDATIONS for present days”, furthermore, prohibited medical claim “Elixir – strong support for the immunity on purely natural basis” was stated at one of the products. Company NUTRISTAMINA s.r.o. is the inspected person.
Offer of food supplements on www.colway.cz, the inspected person stated here, inter alia, prohibited medical claims”: “Protection in the fight with the coronavirus”, “using food supplements and vitamins as a disease prevention”, “NO ORGANISM IN THE WORLD WITH NATURAL PRESENCE OF ASTAXANTHIN SUFFERS FROM INFECTIOUS DISEASES”, “persons using astaxnthin were not infected by viruses, such as SARS (predecessor of COVID 19). Similar results could expected now as well.” Company COLWAY ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA 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 will initiate an administrative procedure on imposition of fine with the inspected persons.

CAFIA currently deals with further cases of suspicion of the use of unauthorised medical claims at food supplements in relation to the virus outbreak. CAFIA will continue with the inspections of the use of unauthorised medical claims at this type of food supplements in the future.

CAFA has already informed of similar detections in its press releases of 27th March 2020, 19th March 2020, 8th April 2020 and 17th April 2020.

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

11th May 2020