Smart Drops, ‘Nature’s Liquid Adderall’

While catching up on the latest rock ‘n’ roll news on the Rolling Stone website, a TINA.org reader stumbled upon this ad promoting something called “Nature’s Liquid Adderall.”

Adderall is the FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and narcolepsy. What is “Nature’s Liquid Adderall”?

The ad links to a “consumer health report” titled “Nature’s Smart Drops Do What Prescription ‘Smart Drugs’ Cannot?” The report found that Smart Drops (aka “Nature’s Liquid Adderall”) and its combination of “ancient healing nutrients” (Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi, Chaga and Turkey Tail) have helped millions of users, including unnamed “famous TV doctors, CEOs and celebs,” with a variety of health conditions ranging from anxiety and attention-deficit disorder, or ADD, to inflammation and depression. It discussed how the manufacturer Apetropics is struggling to keep up with customer demand after already shipping out more than 7.2 million doses.

There’s just one problem: The report isn’t actually a report. It’s an ad.

If you scroll down to the very bottom of the page, you’ll see a disclaimer that states, “This is an advertisement and not an actual news article, blog, or consumer protection update.” It goes on:

The information presented on this website is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The story is a dramatization and fictional. This website is a market place. The owner has a material financial connection to the provider of the goods and services referred to on the site in that it receives compensation for clicks onto the ad or for sales of the product. The story depicted on the website is fictional unless stated otherwise.

In fact, unless the Apetropics CEO is also a stock photo model whose stock images have been used in several Forbes articles, that isn’t him in the picture next to his quote.

Unapproved drug claims

However, even if the report was not fictional, that doesn’t change the fact that Apetropics – which drives consumers to its online store via links in the bogus report – is violating the law by claiming that its Smart Drops treat anxiety, inflammation, depression, ADD, ADHD and arthritis, among other things, without the required FDA approval. As the company acknowledges in the disclaimer at the bottom of the page:

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

But wait, there’s more.

• The company displays the FDA’s logo in violation of the agency’s name and logo policy.
• Apetropics uses dark patterns in order to speed consumers through the checkout process, such as by telling consumers that the “sell out risk” is “high” and that they only have 10 minutes to “claim” the “best deal,” when in reality the offer doesn’t expire when the countdown clock hits zero.
• Several consumers have complained to the BBB in recent months that Apetropics charged them for purchases tied to subscriptions they didn’t sign up for. The BBB gives the company a D- rating and a 1.6 out of 5 star customer review rating.
• Consumers have also left negative reviews on Amazon listings, saying the “miracle drops” don’t do what they’re advertised to do.

TINA.org reached out to Apetropics for comment. Check back for updates.

Find more of our coverage on deceptive health claims here.