Business ProfileforCentral Ave Pharmacy

BBB sent correspondence toCentral Avenue Pharmacy on July 16, July 29, and August 6, 2019 requestingmodification of advertising claims on the website https://www.rxalbany.comwith regards to CBD products.

Their advertising impliesCBD benefits for anxiety, diabetes, inflammation and arthritis, brain, pain,insomnia, digestion, and health optimization.

According to BBB’s Code ofAdvertising:

1. Basic Principles of theCode

1.1 The primary responsibility for truthful andnon-deceptive advertising rests with the advertiser. Advertisers should beprepared to substantiate any objective claims or offers made before publicationor broadcast. Upon request, they should present such substantiation promptly tothe advertising medium or BBB.

34. Claimed Results

Claims relating toperformance, energy savings, safety, efficacy or results for a product orservice should be based on recent and competent testing or other objectivedata. 

Under the Federal Food,Drugs, and Cosmetics Act, FDA has determined that CBD (including CBD oil)does NOT meet the requirements to be considered a dietarysupplement.  While dietary supplements are generally notrequired to prove to the FDA’s satisfaction that treatment claims are accurateor truthful before the claims appear on the product, CBD sellers andmanufacturers should NOT make such claims absent FDA approval. 

The Federal TradeCommission requires that any benefit claims for these products havesubstantiation, and not mislead consumers about their benefits or safety. In April, the FTC joined with the FDA in sending out warning letters tocompanies marketing products containing CBD (including CBD oil) to treatAlzheimer’s, cancer, and other diseases.  https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/04/ftc-joins-fda-sending-warning-letters-companies-advertising

CBD products are also oftenmarketed for use by animals.  If such products are intended to cure,mitigate, treat, or prevent disease in animals, FDA will consider it as a drugwithin the meaning of the FD&C Act.  Since such CBD products are notgenerally recognized as safe and effective for use under the conditionsprescribed, recommended, or suggested in the labeling, FDA will consider theproduct as unsafe and adulterated under the FD&C Act. Thus, the sale ofsuch product into interstate commerce violates section 301(a) of that Act.

To date, the business hasnot modified their advertising.