He may have made a fortune on his cut and dry books about relationships but when he created his line of supplements Dr. Phil was clearly 'Just Not That Into You'. His Shape Up! line of dietary supplements and vitamins has been the case of an ongoing lawsuit regarding the efficacy of these products. Apparently, those who used these meal replacements and weight loss products were disappointed by the results and several complaints have been reported regarding the ineffectiveness of these overpriced supplements.
The jury found the supplements, which were sold at Walmart and other major retailers were not supported by scientific evidence and have been discontinued from the market. A $10.8 million settlement with Dr. Phil has been made. However, this lawsuit will not affect Dr. Phil financially as this settlement will be paid by insurance funds, but he might take a hit to his overall credibility.
Those who purchased Shape Up! supplements prior to the settlement, are either eligible to a whopping $12.50 in cash as a reimbursement for the product purchased or replacement products from the Nutrilite line vitamins and minerals.
This just goes to show that clever marketing claims can sell a product but they don't make a product work. The fact that a big-wig like Dr. Phil is getting sued for unsubstantiated marketing claims is a step in the right direction. As the FDA begins to clamp down on companies that don't make label claims and those who are making false claims we're getting one step closer to a market with high-quality products that can actually help people meet their goals.
