Bayer is being sued over the claimed benefits of One A Day, a multivitamin for men. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a leading consumer advocacy group, filed the lawsuit against Bayer in late September in the Superior Court in San Francisco.
The suit says Bayer misleads consumers by claiming that the selenium in One A Day can support prostate health and reduce the risk of prostate cancer, while the group says this mineral could actually harm consumers.
The US Food and Drug Administration changed its view on selenium earlier this year. According to a Bayer spokesperson, the company is still working on changing its adverts and packaging labels, removing claims that the product helps ward off certain cancers, which were made because selenium was thought to fight cancer.
In its adverts, on its labels and on its website, Bayer said the product could help prevent prostate cancer because of its selenium.
"Bayer has given American men false hope about the selenium in One A Day," CSPI executive director Michael Jacobson said in a statement. He added that a study had found that selenium supplements don't help and might cause more harm, yet Bayer kept up its misleading advertising.
Bayer HealthCare spokeswoman Evelyn Martin said Bayer had not yet checked the claims and had not had a chance to review the lawsuit, but was aware of CSPI's statements. "Bayer promoted One A Day based on the FDA's acceptance that selenium may reduce the risk of certain cancers, mainly supported by some data on prostate cancer," she said. "As part of its routine efforts, Bayer monitors developments in scientific knowledge and relevant regulatory statements on the promotion of its products."
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