Macular Degeneration - DTB Forces Change In Viteyes Marketing, UK

Main Category: Eye Health / Blindness
Also Included In: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Article Date: 04 Mar 2006 - 18:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions

Research by Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) has forced the Viteyes range of nutritional supplements to revise their marketing material and to stop making medicinal claims about slowing eye damage.

Dr Ike Iheanacho, editor DTB, explains:

"We are concerned about promotional claims for some nutritional supplements aimed at people worried about macular degeneration.

"Certain claims appear to be medicinal and, if proved to be so, would breach UK medicines legislation because the products are not licensed as medicines. In particular, we reported the claim that 'Viteyes' can 'slow macular degeneration' to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). As a result, the MHRA has now taken action to ensure that these claims are no longer used to market the product."

However, the crucial monitoring and alerting role of DTB is under threat. In seeking budget cuts, the Department of Health (DH) has so far failed to renew its bulk-purchasing contract for provision of the publication to all healthcare professionals in England. The existing contract expires at the end of March.

Dr Ike Iheanacho concludes:

"We are extremely concerned that the DH might not, in the future, continue its commitment to provide DTB to all NHS healthcare professionals. DTB is unique as it provides informed, unbiased and rigorously researched information and advice on treatments and the overall management of disease. This sort of independent assessment is essential for prescribers and their patients who are often bombarded by inappropriate promotions from the pharmaceutical industry ."

1 DTB concluded that there was some evidence to support the use of a specific combination of antioxidant vitamins and zinc, the so-called AREDS formula, in specific groups of patients with macular degeneration (those with advanced disease in one eye only). This formula is found in only certain products. Use of other nutritional supplements, or use in other groups of people, cannot be recommended. Patients with macular degeneration should be advised to stop smoking and to eat a healthy diet rich in green vegetables.

2 DTB has provided rigorous and independent evaluations of, and practical advice on, individual treatments and the management of disease for doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals for over 40 years.

A monthly journal, DTB is published by Which?, the UK's major consumer organisation, and is unique in that it is wholly independent of industry, Government, regulatory authorities and the medical establishment and carries no advertising.

DTB also produces Treatment Notes - award-winning, evidence-based, practical information for patients that complements that available to healthcare professionals.

For further information about DTB and Treatment Notes or to subscribe, please go to http://www.DTB.org.uk

3 Annual subscription £49. Retired doctors, pharmacists and students £24.50. All orders to DTB, Which? Castlemead, Gascoyne Way, Hertford X, SG14 1LH

http://www.DTB.org.uk