A LABOUR MP has accused Guernsey health supplement companies of marketing their pills in a dishonest way. Dr Ian Gibson, who represents Norwich, said they were getting away with ‘deplorable’ claims about the benefits of their products because European Union laws don’t apply here.

‘There are claims that products are good for cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia, coronary heart disease, strokes and diabetes,’ he said.

‘The products have not been licensed at all and there is no evidence that they work.’

While Dr Gibson acknowledged some companies were worse than others, he insisted all would fall foul of standards set by EU directives, according to the Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

He added that he would go to the leader of the House of Commons if the States fails to act.

New legislation to regulate health claims should be ready by the end of the year.

Director of public health Dr David Jeffs said he had received several dozen complaints from UK individuals and councils going back 15 years and would be pursuing companies violating the law when one was in place.

‘We want to bring in modern legislation as the current one is from the 70s and therefore out of date,’ he said.

‘The States has already passed these laws in principle, but the process is taking longer than anticipated because it is so complicated.

‘Guernsey is keen to retain ethical businesses and if companies want to make a go of it, we feel that they should be able to. But there are companies who are falsely advertising and exploiting people’s weaknesses and we feel those will bring a lot of criticism and damage to Guernsey’s reputation.’