Dietary Supplement Or Antibiotic?

I'll always be able find worthy topics to post on The Cynical Pharmacist because if there's one thing that I'm sure about, it's that there will always be criminals looking to exploit innocent people in order to selfishly line their own pockets.

What do you see when you look at this picture?

I'm a pharmacist living close to the Mexican border and am familiar with a lot of Mexican drugs, and I would have thought that the two dietary products in the background were Amoxicillin at first glance. So does the FDA and the Texas Attorney General, who say these products amount to nothing more than deceptive advertising and unlawful marketing.

According to Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott whom filed suit -

According to state investigators, the defendants’ Amoxilina labels claim – in Spanish and English – that the dietary supplement is “without side effects and Naturally Combats Infection.” Multimex also prints a Spanish phrase on the back of the capsule membrane that states “(Cualidades Antibioticas Naturales)” – which means “Quality Natural Antibiotics.” Consumer complaints received by the Attorney General’s Office indicate that Spanish speaking parents purchased the supplement for children suffering from throat or ear infections because they believed that they were buying Amoxicillin.

The antibiotic, Amoxicilina, was once available in Mexico without a prescription. But it's not just the similarity between names alone. The deceitful marketing of Amoxilina, the lawsuit charges, included a two-toned, blue and white box that mimics the packaging of Amoxicillin - right down to the red letters used to display the product's 500mg strength.

The FDA initiated a recall after four children were taken to a Medical Center due to worsening illnesses after giving the dietary supplement delayed legitimate medical treatment.

Of course, it's being reported that Multimex owner Sandra Salazar says her company didn't intend to mislead customers. What do you think?

Retail stores and distributors should return the products to Multi-Mex, 4744-C North Royal Atlanta Drive, Tucker, Georgia, 30084. Consumers with questions may call at (678) 226-1758 (Monday-Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST).