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Viteyes' UK distributor Butterflies Healthcare comments on the Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin report:

'We are pleased that the Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) has recognised the Viteyes range of supplements as being one which contains an appropriate combination of vitamins and minerals which may be of help to some sufferers of macular degeneration.

'We also agree that their use has only been shown to be of benefit for certain groups of people.

'The MHRA has indeed contacted us and following consultation with them we are amending our marketing and product labelling to ensure that we do not make claims of a medicinal nature.

'Specifically we have to remove all reference to AREDS from our products. Although this is the formulation they contain, by referring to the specific study it is said to be a medicinal claim.

'We are not allowed to say ‘a formula based on AREDS’; we are allowed to say ‘a formula based on research by the United States National Eye Institute’.

'Another issue we plan to raise in the future is why we are allowed to make general statements for our product such as ‘promotes eye health’ when we cannot say ‘may help macular degeneration’.

'The first may lead people with generally poor eye sight or other eye conditions to believe that taking the supplements will help. The later clearly states the condition which they have been shown to be of benefit for and so restricts the target group.

'The DTB believes that too many people are taking these supplements needlessly, yet the regulations do not allow us to say only those in a specific at risk group may benefit from them.

'With the marketing material corrected and an increasing number of optometrists and ophthalmologists stocking and supplying Viteyes, it will continue to establish itself as an important player in the field of ocular food supplements.

'This is thanks to the breadth of product range, including the new Viteyes Advanced Formulas and Omega 3 soft gels.'

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