LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Testing conducted at a leading independent laboratory has confirmed that Herbalife products do not contain levels of lead that would require labeling under California Proposition 65 disclosure requirement. The company added to its ongoing compliance program by conducting extensive retesting of multiple product batches at the prestigious independent laboratories Covance (for U.S.) and Eurofins (for EU) before responding to recent allegations.
There was never any health or safety issue with Herbalife products. Inaccurate and misleading information released by a group that calls itself an independent fraud-discovery organization led to sensational media and online news coverage. The group's founder Barry Minkow admits profiting from "puts" on Herbalife stock.
"It's very easy to create fear by using words like 'lead' and 'dangerous' together," said Herbalife Chief Scientific Officer Steve Henig, Ph.D. "and then add the word 'children' to make it even scarier. It's a fact that many natural and processed foods including vegetables and dairy products as well as our products, which are made with natural ingredients, contain extremely small amounts of naturally occurring lead that can be detected by today's highly sensitive analytical methods but are insignificant in posing any risk to consumers."
In response to an additional misleading news release from the Minkow group, Herbalife clarifies that Peruvian authorities are not "leaning towards a ban of all Herbalife products." All Herbalife products are in compliance with DIGESA's and DIGEMID's (both are part of the Peruvian Ministry of Health) regulations, and are approved and certified for sale by these government entities. There has been no issue with the Peruvian authorities. The sensational headlines citing 'excessive lead' did prompt inquiries from authorities in Singapore, Poland and Hong Kong, all of which were resolved when the facts were presented.
Herbalife stands behind the safety and benefits of its products and the value of its direct-selling business opportunity for those who want to earn part-time or full-time income working from home. The company will continue to defend its reputation against those who seek to profit from negative news about the company.
About Herbalife Ltd.
Herbalife Ltd. (www.herbalife.com) (NYSE:HLF) is a global network marketing company that sells weight-management, nutrition, and personal care products intended to support a healthy lifestyle. Herbalife products are sold in 65 countries through a network of over 1.8 million independent distributors. The company supports the Herbalife Family Foundation and its Casa Herbalife program to bring good nutrition to children. Please visit Herbalife Investor Relations for additional financial information.
Source: Herbalife Ltd.
Released Jun 8, 2008 • 2:34pm EDT