CVS To Pay $2.8 Million to Customers in AirShield Dispute

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CVS has agreed to refund $2.8 million to its customers to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it made unsubstantiated ad claims that its CVS-branded AirShield 'Immune Boosting' supplement can prevent colds, fight germs, and boost immune systems.

In marketing the product, CVS touted its similarity to Airborne supplements that claimed to do the same thing. Airborne last year settled similar charges.

The FTC says CVS had no evidence that the product could reduce the risk of catching colds.

The order bars CVS from making any similar claims about any of its branded products unless it has the scientific evidence to back it up.

Health and diet ad claims are key areas of FTC concern.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.