FDA Sends Letter to Colostrum Web Site Operator

WASHINGTON--The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed the Webmaster of a colostrum site that it was promoting a product for conditions reserved for drug claims. The product in question was "Nature's Strength Colostrum" sold by Akron, Ohio-based Malibu Naturals, a multi-level marketing firm that also markets the popular kickboxing TaeBo videos. When Malibu Naturals was reached for comment, a company spokesperson said the company has no knowledge of the letter, dated Jan. 28 (and which was just made public).

The letter was directed to Stacey Cosgrove, Webmaster of Colostrum-Option.com, based in Belgrade, Mont. John Foret, the director of the division of compliance and enforcement at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), wrote in the letter that besides using disease claims (e.g. "find out why colostrum is the most potent natural antibiotic . against Anthrax."), the company was using claims that could classify the product as a new drug.

According to Malibu Naturals, Cosgrove is the primary distributor of Nature's Strength Colostrum. Malibu Naturals ships the product, but its sales associates (of whom Cosgrove is one) do their own sales and marketing of the product. "However, if there is something awry, we would be more than interested in knowing about it because it's against our policies and procedures," a Malibu Naturals spokesperson said. "[Cosgrove] is the one who controls the content of that Web site."

On the Malibu Naturals Web site (www.malibunaturals.com) and TaeBo Web site (www.taebohealth.com), the 120-count Nature's Strength Colostrum is marketed as "a pre-milk fluid that jumpstarts an infant's immune system." However, on both of Cosgrove's Web sites (www.colostrum-option.com and www.colostrum-health.com), there are claims that the product can help with various conditions, such as sinusitis, Alzheimer's, diabetes and heart disease.

Interestingly, Foret wrote in the letter, "FDA is aware that Internet distributors may not know that the products they offer are regulated as drugs or that these drugs are not in compliance with the law."

INSIDER was unable to reach Cosgrove for comment.