Boiron USA claims its “Children’s Coldcalm” tablets provide relief from the common cold, but “the product is nothing more than a sugar tablet,” according to class action lawsuit filed in California.

Children’s Coldcalm is sold for $10.00 a package and is labeled as a homeopathic medicine that relieves common cold symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, sinus pain, headaches and sore throat. “In reality, Children’s Coldcalm has no impact on the common cold,” the lawsuit states.

The fact that Children’s Coldcalm is labeled as homeopathic is appealing to consumers who wish to take natural remedies, the lawsuit says, but Boiron “is taking advantage of the public’s desire for natural products” by “deceiving the public into believing that Children’s Coldcalm is an effective, regulated drug that is held to the same standards as true medical drugs.”

 “While marketed as drugs effective in the treatment for any ailment or condition, homeopathic ‘drugs’ are not held to the same rigorous standards as other drugs. This can and has lead to serious confusion. At times, as shown by Children’s Coldcalm, this confusion crosses the line into intentional deception and fraud.”

The deception, the lawsuit alleges, lies in the fact that the natural ingredients in Children’s Coldcalm are so diluted that they are “not detectable even through the use of sensitive chemical analysis.” The homeopathic ingredients in Children’s Coldcalm -- which include various flowers, vegetables, insects and metals -- must be diluted in order to avoid poisoning the user, but they’re diluted to the extent that there is no trace of the original ingredient in the solution.

The Children’s Coldcalm Class Action Lawsuit is brought on behalf of all California residents who purchased Children’s Coldcalm for personal use at any time in the past four years. It is seeking actual, punitive and statutory damages for class members, including at least $1,000 in statutory damages per class member and $5,000 for each class member who is a senior citizen and disabled and suffered substantial physical, emotional or economic damages.

Updated January 18th, 2012