Airborne agrees to pay $7M settlement

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- The maker of the cold remedy Airborne has agreed to pay $7 million to settle allegations by 32 attorneys general that it made false claims about its products.

As a part of its multistate settlement, Airborne Health Inc. agreed to discontinue claims about the "health benefit, performance, efficacy or safety" of its products in preventing and treating ailments, Legal Newsline reported Tuesday.

"Consumers who purchased Airborne to treat their colds were not getting their money's worth as there is no proof that Airborne can lessen your cold symptoms," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said.

The legal news service said the $7 million settlement is the largest payment to date in a multistate action involving a dietary supplement producer.

The attorneys general lawsuit, filed by Bob Cooper of Tennessee, claimed Airborne's marketing materials implied that its products had been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"Airborne dramatically misrepresented its products as cold remedies without any scientific evidence to back up its claims," California Attorney General Brown said. "Under this agreement, the company will stop advertisements that suggest that its products are a cure for the common cold."

In settling the case, Airborne did not admit to any wrongdoing, the company said in a statement.