Homeopathic products have increasingly been the focus of false and misleading claims that prompt class action lawsuits. A recent class action settlement that alleges Similasan Corporation issued false and misleading claims about its line of homeopathic products is proof of the trend to end misleading claims about the benefits of using homeopathic products.
Class counsel in the case stated in the class action settlement document that “Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances. However, there is little evidence that homeopathy is effective, much less that people understand homeopathic dilution principles.”
Lead plaintiff Kim Allen filed the initial class action lawsuit against Similasan in February of 2012. Allen, along with two additional lead plaintiffs, filed a third amended class action lawsuit in October of 2013. The three lead plaintiffs assert Similasan Corporation “manufactures and sells homeopathic products that do not work as advertised.”
Clear language in the Similasan class action lawsuit states “that homeopathy is based on the principle of similars and the principle of dilutions. According to the principle of similars, a disease can be cured with a substance that produces similar symptoms in a healthy person. Homeopathic remedies are designed to initially aggravate a person’s symptoms, but this fact is not communicated to consumers.”
What You Need To Know
Eligible class members must have purchased homeopathic products manufactured by Similasan between February 10, 2008 and September 7, 2017. Similasan Corporation denies the allegations, but the company settled the class action lawsuit to avoid the possibility of paying much more in damages to individual plaintiffs. Class members have until July 8, 2017 to opt out of the settlement or object to any language written into the agreement. The potential award in the class action settlement is a cash payment per class member between $10 and $30. Class counsel stresses that the potential award is an estimate. Refer to the class action settlement website www.SimilasanClassAction.com to learn more about the potential award for class members. The final amount paid out in the class action settlement depends mostly on the number of valid and timely claims filed.
Class members have until September 7, 2017 to file a valid claim form. Exactly one month before the claim form deadline, the class action settlement case called Allen, et al. v. Similasan Corp., Case No. 12-cv-00376-BAS-JLB, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California is conducting the final hearing. Class counsel comes from three law firms: Gomez Trial Attorneys, Law Offices of Ronald Marron, and Law Office of Dean Goetz. The defense counsel is Michelle Gillette from Crowell & Moring LLP.
