Markets Wired

September 15 is the last day for eligible consumers who purchased Airborne products over a six-year period to apply for refunds. Details on eligibility can be found at www.airbornehealthsettlement.com.

“We want to get the word out to everyone who qualifies for these refunds,” said Lydia Parnes, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

The Bonita Springs, Florida-based Airborne Health, Inc., which has marketed the effervescent tablet Airborne Effervescent Health Formula and similar products as cold prevention and treatment remedies, agreed earlier this month to pay up to $6.5 million to settle FTC charges that it did not have adequate evidence to support its advertising claims. This amount will be added to a pool of up to $23.5 million, which was agreed upon in an earlier class-action suit. These funds will be used to reimburse consumers, who purchased products based on unsubstantiated claims.

Consumers who bought the Airborne-branded products Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Airborne On-the-Go, Airborne Power Pixies, Airborne Nighttime, Airborne Jr., Airborne Gummis, and Airborne Seasonal Relief between May 1, 2001 and November 29, 2007 are eligible for refunds. Consumers who have receipts can apply for a refund for the full amount. Those without receipts can apply for refunds for up to six product purchases, and should visit the Web site for further details.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.