Ben Carsondeniedties to dietary supplement company Mannatech at last night ’s GOP debate . “ full propaganda , ” the prospect said . Carson ’s denial iseasily refuted . He has promoted the caller in infomercials and at lively event since 2004 , andadmittedthat it helped fund his endowed chair at Johns Hopkins .
So why the defense ? Mannatech was accused of deceptive sale practices and doubtful health claims in the 2000s . The suburban Dallas - based company has used multi - level marketing to sell its products , including Ambrotose , its touch “ glyconutrient ” pill made of flora polysaccharides .
During a 20/20investigationinto Mannatech ’s pills , a glycobiologist noted that the element cocktail in the pill “ does n’t really do anything except increase turgidity . ”
Mannatech contested 20/20 ’s conclusions .
The pyramid - shaped business organization swear on independent sellers , which has given Mannatech opportunities to contest that its full - clip employees at the top of the chain are responsible for the profligate claim made by its declarer shill on the bottom .
Mannatech pushed its pills for far more than fart , and it butted up against scientist and the legal organisation along the way .
The mother of a child with Tay - Sachs diseasesued Mannatech in 2004for intentional deception , confederacy to commit fake , and invasion of privacy , among other charges . She accused Mannatech of showing au naturel photos of her son at seminars and in promotional material , claiming that his health had benefitted from its products . She had given the photos to her chiropractorfor confidential use — but her chiropractor was also a Mannatech sales associate . Her boy died around the sentence the photos were pass around . The lawsuit was dismissed , but Mannatech pay off $ 750,000 andagreed to stop using the photosin a confidential small town .
In 2007 , the Texas Attorney Generalcharged Mannatechwith illegal , mislead sales practicesfor take that its pill could curean raiment of aesculapian problems , from autism to Non - Hodgkin ’s B vitamin - cell Lymphoma .
“ Texans will not support illegal selling outline that raven upon the grisly and unsuspicious , ” the Attorney General order , underscore that Mannatech had n’t done any legitimate subject field shew its pill worked and calling its sales practices an “ luxuriant scheme to scam innocent consumer . ”
The case settled out in 2009 . Mannatech did n’t admit to wrongdoing , but itagreedto a net assessment that the AG say would “ stop deceptive trade drill ” in Texas and pay $ 4 million to Texas client . Founder Samuel Casterwas bannedfrom being an employee of the caller for five years ; hecontinued to workas an sovereign adviser .
While Mannatech duck effectual problems , biologists were n’t as easy to shrink from . “ We find that there is a moral responsibility for glycobiologists to speak out , ” glycobiology researchers wrote ina 2008 articleexamining Mannatech and the potential for the misrepresentation of glycobiology discoveries .
“ A Glyconutrient Sham ” busts Mannatech for staking its credibility ona referenceinserted into the aesculapian textbook Harper ’s Illustrated Biochemistry by Mannatech adviser , along with research presented at conferences patronise by Mannatech . It also pokes maw in the company ’s claims about the wellness benefits of its glyconutrient ingredients :
claim of wellness benefit of ingesting Ambrotose ® Complex , or its component part , stay untried in control human trials , or have been disprove in such trials , depending on the indicant .
So what are Carson ’s railroad tie to the company ? As I mentioned earlier , he has apply speeches promoting its lozenge as medically helpful for over a decade . In 2004 , after allegedly taking Mannatech products as supplements keep abreast prostate cancer diagnosing , Carson spoke about them as entire to experience good .
“ Within about three weeks my symptoms went away , and I was really quite amazed , ” he say in the video , which you’re able to still catch online :
The National Reviewlooked at Carson ’s relationship with Mannatechearlier this twelvemonth , foreground that Carson was paid to utter about the companionship on legion occasion through the Washington Speakers Bureau :
“ I do n’t recognise that he ’s ever had a compensated family relationship with Mannatech , ” says Armstrong Williams , Carson ’s business coach , when asked about those appearances . “ All we sleep together is that the Washington Speaker ’s Bureau , which book century of speak date for him through the year , booked these engagements . He had no approximation who these mass are . They ’re book through the speakers ’ bureau . The question should be asked to the Washington Speakers Bureau , when did they have a relationship with Mannatech , because Dr. Carson never had one . ” ( At Washington Speakers Bureau , Carson is listed as a level-6 speaker system , meaning his fee is more than $ 40,000 per language . )
As for his endowment , there is 2011 television of Carson explicitly tell that Mannatech was a outstanding giver . “ Three twelvemonth ago I had an endowed death chair bestow upon me , ” Mr. Carson aver in his2011 Mannatech convention keynote manner of speaking . “ It requires $ 2.5 million to do an endowed chair and I ’m proud to say that part of that $ 2.5 million come from Mannatech . ”
But when the Wall Street Journal asked Carson ’s campaign about this video , a spokesmancalled the Mannatech reference“a logical mistake . ”
“ He just got mixed up , ” the spokesmantoldthe WSJ .
Mixed up or not , as much as he might desire to shrug off Mannatech like an honest-to-god mistake , Carson remain an eager shill for the fellowship as late as last yr :
“ I still use them to this very twenty-four hour period , ” Carson tell in the picture .
Last Nox , he echoed that sentiment , plugging Mannatech ’s pills even as he denied his relationship with the companionship . “ I take the merchandise . It is a full product . ”
Update 5:49 post-mortem examination : Mannatech sent me this reply from a interpreter :
Dr. Ben Carson accurately described his human relationship with Mannatech in Wednesday night ’s presidential debate . He posit :
“ I did a match of speeches for them . I did speech for other masses – they were paid language . It is perfectly absurd to say that I had any kind of family relationship with them [ Mannatech ] . Do I take their product ? Yes , I think it ’s a good product . ”
That is a truthful statement and clearly defines the limit of his relationship with the company .
Dr. Carson is a long - term client and has spoken about his personal and professional experience at Mannatech events . Dr. Carson has never been a ante up endorser or spokesman for Mannatech or its products .
In participation with Dr. Carson ’s campaign squad – in club to follow with Union campaign finance regularisation – all denotation to Dr. Carson were absent from Mannatech digital sites and tools prior to his announcement of a presidential tender in 2015 .
Image : AP
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