Herbalife Halts Sale of Product in Israel

Iwon.com ^ | Sunday February 13, 11:04 AM EST | Reuters

[Nachum]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) said on Sunday it had halted sales of one of its products in Israel amid an investigation by Israel's Health Ministry over complaints from customers that it caused liver problems.

Yona Fichman, general manager of Herbalife Israel, said the company was cooperating with the ministry even though there had yet to be a link between the product and what he called abnormal liver test results. A health ministry spokeswoman said eight people reported liver problems over a year and a half, five of whom had consumed Herbalife's Sesame Herb product.

She noted that there had not yet been a proven link between the product and liver problems.

Los Angeles-based Herbalife sells weight management, nutritional supplement and personal care products through distributors in more than 59 countries. It sells 26 products in Israel.

Fichman said he hoped for a resolution within a few weeks.

The health ministry spokeswoman said Herbalife had sent doctors from the United States to check the customers who complained of liver problems.

"It's only in Israel, not around the world," she said.

The ministry stressed that nutritional supplements were not medicine and not a substitute for medicine.

Herbalife went public in New York in late 2004, selling 14.5 million shares at $14 million each. Its shares closed down 0.2 percent at $16.48 on Friday.

[robertpaulsen]

Ping!

Hey Pax! God's herbs are killing us! How can that be?

[PaxMacian]

Ro 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: but he that is weak, let him eat herbs.
Ro 14:3 Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not: and he that eateth not, let him not judge him that eateth. For God hath taken him to him.
Ro 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own lord he standeth or falleth. And he shall stand: for God is able to make him stand.