Airborne (dietary supplement)

Airborne is a dietary supplement and health formula created by a school teacher, which contains herbal extracts, amino acids, antioxidants, electrolytes, synthetic vitamins, and other ingredients, and can be purchased in many U.S. retail stores over-the-counter in three different forms: tablet, chewable lozenge, or powder.
It has been accused by the FTC of using false advertising in its marketing and making unproven claims that it could help ward off harmful bacteria and germs and help prevent the flu and the common cold. It has therefore been the subject of class action lawsuits and settlements. In addition to previous settlements including over $23 million in early 2008, Airborne paid an additional $7 million settlement on December 16, 2008 as part of charges that it made unproven claims to cure or prevent illness. There are no studies supporting Airborne's effectiveness that meet scientific standards.

Testing, research, and controversy
Although the manufacturer recommends that Airborne be taken "at the first sign of a cold symptom, or before entering crowded environments, like airplanes and offices," Airborne has not undergone any testing by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Because it is sold as a dietary supplement and not as a drug, current law allows it to be marketed without prior review and approval of testing results that demonstrate that it provides a medical remedy. However, all claims on the label for consumer products have to be truthful and supported by scientific evidence.
There are no studies supporting Airborne's effectiveness that meet scientific standards. The "GNG Pharmaceutical Services Inc." study often referenced in the debate over Airborne's effectiveness was sponsored by the Knight-McDowell Labs, manufacturers of Airborne. In February of 2006, ABC News discovered that GNG Pharmaceutical Services has no official clinic, scientists, or even doctors. In fact the company comprises only two men, who started the company just to perform this study. Because of the bad publicity that this controversy has brought forth, Knight-McDowell Labs has removed all references to the study from their packaging and web site.
A medical report on Airborne, addressed some of these concerns, specifically regarding its large amounts of vitamin C:
There are some concerns. First, there is no conclusive evidence that this product or any of its ingredients prevents colds or shortens their duration. Second, the adult tablet contains 1 g of vitamin C, and the directions for use advise taking 1 tablet at the first sign of a cold and repeating the dose every 3 hours as necessary. Vitamin C in doses higher than 1 g increases oxalate and urate excretion and may cause kidney stones (EN Taylor et al, J Am Soc Nephrol 2004; 15:3225). Third, the safety of this herbal extraction combination has not been established. And with herbs and dietary supplements in general, we only have the manufacturers’ word on the label for what’s in them.