Beware Unauthorized Internet Supplement Sellers

Several companies making supplements sold to health care practitioners have discovered a number of problems with products that are being sold online by unauthorized sellers. Designs for Health is one of these companies.

Online retailers such as Amazon, eBay, Craigslist, etc., are not authorized to sell Designs for Health products.

The office of Dr. Cheryl Kasdorf is! I encourage you to utilize products that you can trust from my office or from any authorized healthcare provider.

Why buy from an authorized health care provider?

These products (not found in health food stores) are scientifically formulated to support specific aspects of health. Practitioners such as Dr. Kasdorf understand the purpose of each product and match it to the health condition of the patient. There is an sensitivity to individualization of treatment with each patient. One product does not fit all.

In addition, the manufacturers stand behind the quality and purity of every product sold. The source of materials is carefully checked, they usually follow procedures more strict than National Sanitary Foundation “Good Manufacturing Practices” and the formulations are not haphazard. Often these products are clinically tested.

What can go wrong?

In some cases, unauthorized online sellers are selling products that are expired, damaged, counterfeit, or not even available to them.

Expired

Products that are old are past their freshness date are expired. These products have often lost potency and likely will not meet label claim for listed ingredients.

Damaged

Products can have broken seals, or previously been opened and then resealed. In addition, products may have been damaged by storage under an adverse environment – too hot, too much humidity, and so on, and gotten damaged. Unscrupulous individuals may attempt to dump damaged products by selling them online at a discount.

Counterfeit

Can you believe this one! Yes! As is the case with other products such as watches, handbags or movies, there are counterfeit sellers in the dietary supplement industry. Where there is a market for something, someone will try to pass off a copy as the real thing.

Unscrupulous individuals sell products with unknown ingredients and quality, and even make convincing counterfeit labels of the brand and paste it on the bottle. These counterfeit products are often sold online at a “discount.”

Bait and Switch

Since sellers wish to provide desirable brands for sale on their website, and know they will get traffic because of that supplement brand name, resellers often market the brand name such as Designs for Health online. The reality is that they are not able to obtain that brand and have none in stock.

Once the buyer calls they are told that the name brand is not available. The caller ahs been offered  the bait – the desirable brand name. However, an inferior brand is then offered as an alternative  – the switch.

One Experience

A patient found what I was recommending online at a discount from what I charge. She ordered it to save money. After being away for the winter, she came in feeling poorly. When I asked what she was taking, she showed me the bottle.

I had recommended “Hpo-gen” and she was taking “Hpe-gen.” The difference was what I recommended would support a low thyroid function, and what she was taking calmed down a high thyroid function. I had her stop it immediately! No wonder she was feeling poorly. In the name of saving money, she ended up suppressing her thyroid function!

Your Experience

Have you come across discounted supplements and been tempted to buy them? What happened? Please share your experience in the comments section below.

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