http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahitian_Noni_International Controversy [edit]Attorneys General (AZ, CA, NJ, TX) vs. Morinda Holdings, Inc.

On August 26, 1998, the Attorneys General of Arizona, California, New Jersey, and Texas announced a multi-state settlement with Morinda, Inc., the charges stating that Morinda had made "unsubstantiated claims in consumer testimonials and other promotional material that its Tahitian Noni juice could treat, cure or prevent numerous [8] diseases, including diabetes,clinical depression, hemorrhoids and arthritis." Such claims rendered the beverage an unapproved new drug under state and federal food and drug laws and should not have been sold until it received approval. Under the terms of the agreement, Morinda agreed to: No longer make drug claims, or claims that the product can cure, treat, or prevent any disease until "Tahitian Noni" is approved and cleared for those uses by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Not make any other claims, whether health claims or others, regarding the benefits of Tahitian Noni unless such claims are true and the company can substantiate the claim by reliable scientific evidence. Not use testimonials which imply that the advertised claimed results are the typical or ordinary experience of consumers in actual conditions of use, unless Morinda possesses and relies upon adequate substantiation that the results are typical or ordinary.

In addition, Morinda agreed to refund to any consumer who requests a refund in writing, the full purchase price paid for the product. The agreement also called for Morinda to pay $100,000 for investigative costs. [edit]Tahitian Noni & XanGo settlement Tahitian Noni sued XanGo and several of its top executives in February 2003 in 4th District Court in Provo, Utah, alleging that executives stole Tahitian Noni's concept for a mangosteen-based supplement while they were employed by TNI's parent-company, to which XanGo counter-sued. In a joint statement, Tahitian Noni and XanGo did not disclose particulars regarding the settlement, only stating that they have "agreed to resolve their disputes and the [9] litigation between them and their founders." [edit]Possible contamination in Spain Residents of Spain were alerted in February 2007 to avoid consuming certain improperly labeled bottles of Tahitian Noni Juice while the health department there awaited toxicology reports for a man who died after drinking the juice. According to reports in Spain, a 40-year-old man from Ogijares drank some noni juice for breakfast and began to experience strange sensations in his mouth and blurred vision. He died shortly thereafter, and another family member, [10] who also drank some juice, reported similar symptoms. Reports stated that there were large amounts of cocaine [11] found in the bottles and the body of the deceased man. The bottles recovered from the deceased man's home were submitted to the Spanish Institute of Toxicology, where it was confirmed the bottles were contaminated with cocaine. The bottles in question bore labels from Mexico, and the lot number and expiration dates were illegible. Spanish authorities urged consumers to check the labels on their bottles of juice and report any irregularities. Consumers were also asked not to purchase bottles of juice outside the [12] companys normal distribution channels.

Noni No Miracle Cure By Chris Thomas, cancerpage.com (August 30, 2002) - In Hawaii, it"s Noni; in Guam, it"s lada; and in Tahiti they call it nono. Also known as Noni Fruit, Noni Juice, Indian Mulberry, Morinda, Hog Apple, Meng Koedoe, Mora De La India, Ruibarbo Caribe, Wild Pine. So what can it do for cancer patients? Lots or little depending on who you talk to. The US Food and Drug Administration recently sent a warning letter to one company promoting noni juice in the context of various testimonials. The FDA letter to Hawaiian Island Noni, headquartered in Nevada City, California, stated that the product being offered is promoted for conditions that cause the product to be a drug under FDA legislation and therefore the company may not market the drug in the US without first getting FDAs approval on the basis of scientific data submitted by the company showing the drug is safe and effective. Companies marketing products available from natural resources such as the noni fruit which cannot be patented usually will not invest the considerable sums to run double-blind, controlled studies to prove their fruit is safe and effective as a medicine. They just avoid saying it cures anything and the FDA doesnt have jurisdiction. But they couldnt sell noni as a fruit or juice, because it tastes awful, so they associate it with health benefits.

Noni, extracted from the Indian mulberry plant, has been used for more than 1,000 years in traditional healing practices of native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders and Asian populations and there may be something worthwhile in the ingestion of noni. But for cancer patients, its important to note that noni simply hasnt been proven to be effective or safe or even helpful. In tropical and subtropical regions of the world, noni is used in preparations targeting the digestive, immune, intestinal and respiratory systems, as well as skin, mental, and other general and specific conditions. Noni, whose scientific name is Morinda Citrifolia, is described by one promoter as supporting the nervous and skeletal systems (especially painful joints)- promoting healthy skin and creating a general sense of well-being. The FDA is concerned about these descriptions in the context of marketing noni juices and related substances, because there have been no clinical studies substantiating these benefits of noni. Research at NCI On Mice Only The only reference to noni (Morinda Citrifolia) at the National Cancer Institute is a recent study on mice: Two novel glycosides from the fruits of Morinda citrifolia (noni) inhibit AP-1 transactivation and cell transformation in the mouse epidermal JB6 cell line. (Liu G., Bode A., Ma W. Y., Sang S., Ho C. T., Dong Z. Cancer Res 61: 5749-56, 2001.) This is a very early, pre-clinical study, with very technically specific results, of little value to cancer patients at this stage.Those who are cautious about what they injest to deal with and/or treat their cancer, only accept proof from double-blind, placebo controlled, studies, which may or may not be done in the future. None have been done to date. There are no clinical trials listed at NCI related to morinda citrifolia at this time and there are no reports of any trials done previously. The National Library of Medicine lists 26 articles about morinda citrifolia, but none involved clinical trials on humans. Researchers are still working with rats, mice, and fruit flies. Its still too soon to make a judgment about whether commercial noni juices and products have benefits for cancer patients or others. Those who are more adventurous, may be impressed by the reported history of thousands of years of use. Does the Polynesian 2000 years of experience with noni count for anything? one marketing website implores. The Department of Agriculture placed noni on the "Generally Regarded as Safe" list as a food based upon government-sponsored evaluations of the fruit done during WWII. Because Noni Juice has foul smell and unpleasant flavor; people choose to take the capsules form instead. Another company says its capsules contain 100% pure Hawaiian Noni [which] contains nutritional enzymes, anthraquinones and polysaccharides, all known to have various health benefits. Morinda, Inc Lack of scientific evidence apparently is no hindrance for some businesses making big bucks on the myth of morinda, seeming to sell miracles. Morinda, Inc. is one such company. Morindas compensation plan is the most generous one in the industry. We paid out over $745,680,000 to distributors in the companys first five-and-a-half years, in the form of commissions their website states. For $125, one can order a first case of noni juice and enter the noni business as an entrepreneur. Individuals may want to be cautious about this approach, since individuals could also face FDA scrutiny. Based in Tahiti and Provo, Utah, Morindas website says, Today, Morinda has done over $1 billion worth of business in six short years. With operations in over 50 countries, over 1,000 employees, and close to half a million distributors, Morinda is solidifying its position as the world leader in noni products. Morinda has become one of the fastest-growing network marketing companies in history and has been recognized in Inc magazine"s annual list of the 500 fastest growing private companies in America. Noni is sold by various US and non-US suppliers over the internet for prices ranging from $22 to $75 for an 18 oz bottle that should last 36 days. Capsules cost vary widely but start around $9 for 100 capsules of 500 mg. As cancer patients evaluate options, they may well choose to try various nutritional supplements as many people do. The $150-billion global nutrition industry may be on the right track in terms of offering nutritional options, but, like Morinda, they do not invest in proving the products benefits through scientific research. Consumers should be aware of the proven health benefits versus the unproven benefits described in marketing. For Further Information For further discussion of the nature of noni, see the American Cancer Society"s Guide to Complementary and Alternative Methods at cancer.org.