Flexaid and Other Glucosamine supplements

January 2014: A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit against GNC finding that the plaintiffs failed to establish that the advertisements were false or deceptive. The judge concluded that the named-plaintiffs (who did not have arthritis) referred to studies that measured the effectiveness of glucosamine in people with arthritis and failed to establish that these studies also validly measured the effectiveness of glucosamine in people without arthritis. (In Re: GNC Corp. TriFlex Products Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, Case No. 14-cv-00033, D. MD.).

July 2013: Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their class-action lawsuit against Prevention, L.L.C. The reasons for the dismissal have not yet been disclosed. (Vasic et al. v. Prevention, L.L.C., et al.,Case No. 13-cv-00941, S.D. Cal.)

April 2013: Two more class-action lawsuits were filed against sellers and marketers of glucosamine supplements. The first was filed against GNC Corp. (and amended in May 2013) for its marketing of TriFlex as a supplement that will improve mobility and flexibility, help with joint discomfort, and cushion joints, without the necessary scientific support.  (Lerma et al. v. GNC Corp., Case No. 13-cv-00933, S.D. Cal.). The second lawsuit was filed against Prevention, L.L.C., for its marketing of Flexaid Advanced Triple Action Joint Formula (“FlexAid”) as able to provide cartilage and joint benefits without the necessary scientific support. (Vasic et al. v. Prevention, L.L.C., et al.,Case No. 13-cv-00941, S.D. Cal.)

March 2013: A class-action lawsuit was filed against Supervalu, Inc., a maker of glucosamine supplements, regarding its allegedly deceptive marketing campaigns. Specifically, Supervalu, Inc. has been sued over the labeling of its supplements, Equaline Glucosamine Chondroitin Complex, for claiming the supplement improves joint and cartilage health without any competent and reliable scientific evidence to support those claims. (Nunez v. Supervalu, Inc., Case No. 13-cv-00626, S.D. Cal.)

For more information about other class-action lawsuits regarding glucosamine supplements and TINA.org’s coverage of the product, click here.