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Vital Signs

Ethnicity-Based Vitamins: Breakthrough or Marketing Ploy?

In the wake of the controversy surrounding BiDil®, the heart failure drug approved specifically for treatment of African Americans, a company called GenSpec Labs, LLC, recently announced that it has formulated “the world’s first genetically specific nutraceutical product line which effectively addresses the unique metabolic needs of African Americans, Hispanics and Caucasians.” GenSpec claims that its new ethnicity-based vitamins and weight-loss supplements are necessary because people of color have lower metabolic rates than whites and are more likely to have severe vitamin D and calcium deficiencies. The products’ suggested retail prices range from $15.99 to $29.95.

Not surprisingly, some minority health leaders are skeptical, according to an article in the April 11 Washington Post. Winston Price, MD, immediate past president of the National Medical Association, told the Post: “I don’t think there’s merit to these particular claims to stratify vitamins based on ethnicity.” The paper also quoted Dr. Jane Delgado, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, as saying, “It’s not surprising that [companies] want to market to each [ethnic] group, but I think at this point what the communities need to know is how to eat better.” To judge for yourself, visit the GenSpec Web site, www.4genspec.com.