House Oversight Probes Centrum Heart Claims

WASHINGTON—The House Committee on Energy and Commerce and its Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led by John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), are looking into recent cholesterol claims made by Wyeth Consumer Healthcare for its CentrumCardio multivitamin product. The legislators sent Wyeth a letter, requesting information and materials related to its advertisements for CentrumCardio, which the congressmen said may be misleading to consumers. They took issues with television and Web ads that claimed CentrumCardio was the "first and only complete multivitamin that lowers cholesterol," as well as the claim the product "can lower cholesterol within a month." Wyeth has previously cited a 2000 FDA interim rule allowing cholesterol claim use for supplements or foods containing at least 800 mg of free phytosterols, which CentrumCardio reportedly contains.

The company has until Sept. 26 to deliver the requested records and documentation to the House committee. Additional requests for records and even staff interviews may follow the review of the submitted information.