FDA: Wyldewood Cellars' elderberry juice products tout unapproved disease claims

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has seized elderberry juice products that have been distributed by Wyldewood Cellars.

The FDA said that the products were seized from the Peck, Kan.-based company because they were unapproved, misbranded drugs that violated the agency's Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act by stating that elderberry juice concentrate cures, treats or prevents various disease conditions, including AIDS, diabetes and flu.

The complaint was filed on May 27 in the U.S. District Court of Kansas.

“Products with unapproved disease claims are dangerous because they may cause consumers to delay or avoid legitimate treatments,” the FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs Dara Corrigan said. “The FDA is committed to protecting consumers from unapproved products on the market. We will continue to take actions against companies that do not meet federal standards for safety, effectiveness and quality.”