The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-12-29
GOVERNMENT BARS
MISLEADING LABELS
Bureau Of Chemistry Tells Pro-
prietofs Of Medicines How
They Deceive Public

wAsHINGToN.--fn answer 70 many
inquiries IS TO proper labelling for medi-
einal preparations to comply with the
food and drugs act as amended, the do.
partment Of agriculture, through the blu.
reau Of chemistry, has issued the fol-
lowing suggestions to makers and pro-
Prietors Of medicinal preparations:
Claims Of thereapeutie effects:: A
preparation cannot be properly desip.
mated as a specific cure, remedy, or rec
ommended as infallible, sure, certain,
reliable, on invaluable, or bear other
promises of benefit unless the product
gan as a matter OF fact be depended np.
on to produce the results claimed for
it. Before making any such claim the
responsible party should carefully con.
slider whether the proposed representa-.
tiohs are strictly IN harmony with the
dhetsit IN other words, whether the
medicine in the light Of its compost
tion Is actually CAPABLE of fulfilling the
promise made for it. For instance, II
the broad representation that the prod
uet is a remedy for certain diseases Is
made, as, for example, by the use Of
the word remedy in the name Of the
preparation, the article should aetualIy
le a remedy for the affections named
upon the lal 81 under an conditions, ir,
respective of kind aud cause.
Decoptions Are Defined
Indirect statements; Not only are
direct statements and representation
Of a misleading character objectionable
but any, sugeestieS hint, or insinuation'
direct Or indirtctS or design or device
that may tend toAconvey a misleading
impression should be avoided. This az
plies, for example, to such statements
as has been widely recommended for,
followed by unwhrranted therapeutic
claims. l
indefinite and sweeping terms. Rep
reservations that are unwarranted On
account of Indebtedness of a general
sweeping character should be avoided.
For example, the statement that prt D
aration is for kidney troubles, cop-
veys the impression that the product Is
useful in the treatment Of kidney alice.
tiOns generally. Such n representation
is mi. tearing and deceptive unless the
medicine in question is actually used in
All Of these. affections. For this reason
II is usually best TO avoid terms cover.
Ing a number of ailments, such as skin
diseases, kidney, liver, and bladder AT.
fections, etc.
Rheumatism, dyspepsia, eczema, and
the names of many other affections are
more or less comprehensive, and their
use under some circumstances would be
Objectionable. For example, medi.
cine should not be recommended Tor
rheumatism unless II Is capable OF fuI.
filing the claims and Representations
made for ii in all kinds of rhepmatism.
To represent that a medicine Is useful
for rheumatism, when as a matter Of
fact it is useful in only one form Of
rheumatism, would lie misleading; such
statements as for some diseases of the
kidney and liver, for many forms Of
rheumatism, are Objectionable on ae.
count Of indefniteness
"Names like heart remedy kid.
ney pills, blood purifier, n nerve to.
nic,' bone liniment, lung balm, and
other terms involving the names Of
parts sof the body are objectionable for
similar reasons.
Testimonials Misleading
TESTIMONIALS, aside from the per-
sonal aspect given them hy their let.
ter form, hold out general represents.
ti0n to the public, for which the party
doing the labelling Is held to he respon-
sible, The fact that testimonial is
genuine and honestly represents the
opinion of the person writing " does
not Justify its use If il creates a mis-.
leading impression with regard TO the
results which the medicine will produce.
"No statement relative to the thera.
reutie effects Of medicinal products
should be made in the form OF a test,
nonlal which would be regarded DIS un-
wprranted il made as a direct state
ment OF the manufacturer.
Refund guarantee: Statements on
the labels Of DRUGS guaranteeing them
to cure certain diseases OF money re.
funded may be 50 worded as to be false
and fraudulent and TO constitute mis-,
misrepresentation of this
kind are not justified by the fact that
the purchase price Of the article is ac,
tnally refunded as promised,
-----r----s \ s--,------,------- +,
Eugene Murphy, the WailuLu attor