Walgreen will pay to settle FTC deceptive ad charges

Walgreen Co., the largest U.S. drugstore chain, agreed to pay almost $6 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it deceptively advertised its Wal-Born line of dietary supplements.

The FTC said Walgreen made "baseless claims" that its supplement could prevent colds, fight germs and boost immune systems. The Deerfield-based chain touted its Wal-Born supplements as similar to those sold by Airborne Health Inc., which settled a similar case in 2008.

Today's agreement is part of a "continuing crackdown on companies making unproven claims about cold and flu remedies," the FTC said in a press release. The settlement is subject to approval by a federal judge in Illinois.

Walgreens didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The FTC also sued Improvita Health Products Inc., which manufactured store-brand versions of Airborne for retailers including Walgreen. In January, a federal judge in Ohio approved a settlement requiring Improvita principal officers Thomas B. Klamet and Daniel P. Kohler to pay fines totaling $565,000. The lawsuit against the company is continuing.

The FTC settled similar cases last year alleging that CVS Caremark Corp. and Rite Aid Corp. deceptively advertised the same kinds of supplements sold in their stores.

The settlements bar the companies from making health claims unless there is scientific evidence to back up these claims.

The settlement with Walgreen includes $1.2 million to pay consumers in a separate class-action lawsuit.