Business ProfileforDarien Center for Functional Medicine

In October 2022, BBB contacted Darien Center for Functional Medicine regarding claims in its advertising. 

Numerous health benefit and ingredient claims appear on its website, including:

"The Cancer Victor® Protocol greatly enhances their patients’ experiences, including: better tolerance of treatment; better results from treatment; fewer and less onerous side effects; stronger patients during treatment; and faster and stronger rebuilding after treatment."
"The research is clear—you must take supplements during your cancer care. The prevailing science states that nutraceuticals (supplements) not only DO NOT interfere with the function of chemotherapy; specific nutrients make chemo more effective and less toxic."
"Recent studies, have provided increasing evidence that cancer treatment is tolerated better—with better patient compliance and a lower rate of treatment discontinuations—when micronutrients, such as selenium, vitamin D, vitamin C and others, are used in conjunction with chemo. Research-based nutraceuticals tailored to your diet, genetics, tumor histology, and treatments will yield better outcome in those using the combination of both pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals."
"Defend against Covid-19 and the Flu: These six nutraceuticals contain research-based nutrients that support your immune response and halt the corona virus, the flu, and the common cold. The nutrients in these nutraceuticals can and will help prevent serious illness from covid-19 and other seasonal viruses."
"Primary Benefits of nutraMetrix® Thymenol: Helps maintain normal blood pressure. Helps maintain normal blood glucose levels. Powerful antioxidant, protecting the body from the effects of free radicals."
"N-acetyl Cysteine acts as an anti-inflammatory and has been shown to reduce the attachment of viruses to your cells. It’s also an excellent anti-coagulant."
"Are your symptoms due to faulty metabolic function?..If any one of these pathways are faulty—which won’t be found in generic medical tests—chronic health issues develop and symptoms appear.... By correcting the imbalances shown on the test results, your energy, metabolism, and ability to heal and stay healthy will noticeably improve. This approach has been shown to lower your risk of obesity, heart disease, fatigue, and many other conditions."

 
According to the BBB Code of Advertising claims relating to performance, safety, efficacy, or results for a product or service should be based on recent and competent testing or other objective data.  In the case of health benefit claims, substantiation should involve human testing that is blinded (blind study), performed by an independent third party, placebo controlled, conducted on a sufficient scope of subjects, and ideally has been peer reviewed. Claims concerning overall uniquely formulated products also require testing on the combination of ingredients in the product.  Specific ingredient claims also require substantiation. BBB asked the business if the supplements offered have been tested in clinical trials on people undergoing chemotherapy or other disease treatments and if research has been conducted specifically relating to why someone must take supplements during cancer care vs getting nutrients from eating whole foods. The business did not respond.

The primary responsibility for truthful and non-deceptive advertising rests with the advertiser. Advertisers should be prepared to substantiate any objective claims or offers made before publication or broadcast. Upon request, they should present such substantiation promptly to the advertising medium or BBB.  BBB requested that the business provide substantiation for the following claims, but did not receive a reply:

"44% of people stop cancer care because of toxicity"
"2.1% of people receiving chemo make it to 5-year survival"
"26% reduction in mortality for those who took in micronutrients"
"Zero% of studies show antioxidants interfere with chemo"
"18 percent of cancers are caused by physical inactivity"
"75 percent of people with cancer have low vitamin D"
"Medical Errors are the 3rd Leading Cause of Death in the U.S"

Testimonials on its website contain health benefit claims. According to the BBB Code of Advertising, advertising that uses testimonials or endorsements is likely to mislead or confuse if it contains representations or statements which would be misleading if made directly by the advertiser. Advertisers must be able to support claims found in the testimonials used in their marketing. The business did not respond to BBB's suggestion that if substantiation is not available, it would be advisable to remove such testimonials. Below are a few examples:

"As soon as I started the Rebuild program, a lot of my symptoms began disappearing. I was able to eliminate the medications I had been on."
"My acne is gone, my psoriasis is better, my anxiety is almost non-existent, and I am no longer taking anxiety meds!!!!" 
"Through the use of nutritious food, clinically studied supplements, and exercise, I was able to cut down my treatment time from 12 treatments to 5!"

Its advertising includes the disclaimer "These reviews have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." A video on its website states "The contents of this video are presented for informational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice or to replace the advice of a physician or other health-care professional."  

 
The primary responsibility for truthful and non-deceptive advertising rests with the advertiser. In light of the many health benefit claims in its advertising, BBB suggested that these disclaimers may create a deceptive contradiction and should be removed unless such claims are modified or discontinued.  The business did not respond.