Kanfer v. Pharmacare US, Inc.

142 F. Supp. 3d 1091, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150105, 2015 WL 6742201
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedNovember 4, 2015
DocketCase No. 15-cv-0120-H-JLB
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 142 F. Supp. 3d 1091 (Kanfer v. Pharmacare US, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kanfer v. Pharmacare US, Inc., 142 F. Supp. 3d 1091, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150105, 2015 WL 6742201 (S.D. Cal. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS AND STRIKE

MARILYN L. HUFF, District Judge. ’

On July 6, 2015, Defendant Pharmacare US, Inc. filed a motion to¡ dismiss and strike portions of Plaintiff Jonathan Kan-fer’s first amended complaint. (Doc. No. 32.) Plaintiff opposed the motion on September 14, 2015. (Doc. No. 33.) Defendant replied on September 21,2015. (Doc. No. 34.) On September 23, 2015, the Court took the matter under submission pursuant to Local' Civil Rule 7.1(d)(1). (Doc. No. 35.) On September 24,2015, the Court ' requested briefing on whether Plaintiff, a Florida resident who bought the product that is the subject of this suit in Florida, can assert, claims under California’s consumer protection laws in light of Mazza v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., 666 F.3d 581 (9th Cir.2012). (Doc. No. 36.) Defendant filed its brief on October 12, 2015. (Doc. No. 37.) Plaintiff filed his brief on October 26, 2015. (Doc. No. 40.) Defendant replied on November 2, 2015. (Doe. No. 41.) For the reasons set forth below, the Court denies Defendant’s motion.

Background

This case is a putative nationwide consumer class action regarding. Defendant’s over-the-counter product IntenseX. Plaintiff filed his initial complaint on January 20, 2015. (Doc. No. 1.) He filed the operative first amended complaint (“FAC”) on June 19, 2015. (Doc. No. 31.) This Court has jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d)(2). (Id. [1097]*1097¶ 6.) Plaintiff seeks to litigate on behalf of all persons in the United ¡States who bought IntenseX primarily for personal, family, or household use and not for resale since January 1, 2004. (Id. ¶74.) He alleges causes of action for unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business practices under California’s Unfair Competition Law (“UCL”), Cal. Bus. & Prof.Code § 17200 et seq.; violation of California’s False "Advertising Law (“FAL”), Cal. "Bus. & Prof.Code § 17500 et seq.; violation of California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act (“CLRA”), Cal. Civ.Code § 1750 et seq.; breach of express warranty; breach of the implied warranty of merchantability; and violation of the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (“MMWA”), 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq. (FAC ¶!¶ 85-135.)

According to Plaintiff, the’ name “Inten-seX” implies that the product’will enable intense sex. (Id. ¶ 16.) The label contains the following statements: “Sexual Power and Performance,” “IntenseX is designed to intensify your endurance, stamina, and sexual performance,” “This fast acting formula quickly dissolves in the body releasing an energy packed blend of potent herbal extracts,” “Achieve peak performance to maximize the experience when you want it most,” “Laboratory Quality Tested,” “Proprietary Stamina Blend,” and “Produced using the highest manufacturing standards.” (Id. ¶¶ 17) 64.) The ingredients are calcium, guaraña, muirá puama, catuaba, ginkgo biloba, avena sativa, cor-dyceps, ashwaganda, tribulus terrestris, American ginseng, Korean ginseng, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne. (Id. ¶ 19.)

The IntenseX website features pictures of amorous couples and claims the product “WORKS SO FAST YOU MAY- NOT MAKE IT HOME,” and the “FAST ACTING FORMULA ... is the only formula that works within minutes to give you . the powerful, sexual energy you need to make a ‘long lasting’ impression.” (Id. ¶56.) The website asserts, regarding ginseng: “Use if you suffer from coldness rheumatism, cold and flu, frigidity and impotence.” (Id. ¶42.) The website also states that “Empirical evidence suggests that tribulus may help impotence in men and diminished libido in both sexes.” (Id. ¶ 43.)

Plaintiff alleges that he bought IntenseX for $9.99 on at least four occasions in Palm Beach, Florida, between October 2013 and January 2014. (Id. ¶ 62.) When deciding to buy the product, he relied on the label and believed IntenseX had powerful aphrodisiac qualities that would improve his sexual power and performance. (Id. ¶¶63-65.) But the product did not deliver the promised benefits. (Id. ¶ 66.) Moreover, he asserts, there is no evidence that the ingredients provide the claimed benefits, which is an unfair and unreasonable risk considering that the product provides no benefits. (Id.)

Plaintiff supports his claims with several reports. According to New York University’s Longone Medical Center, there is no real.evidence that herbs offer any benefits for increasing sexual performance or desire, and ■ there are no reliable scientific studies to establish that ginkgo biloba improves sexual function. (Id. ¶ 23.) In fact, at least two studies have shown that ginkgo failed to improve sexual function to any greater extent than placebo. (Id.) According to another article, ginkgo has been proven to be ineffective in improving sexual function. (Id. ¶ 24.) And, according to a third article, evidence supporting a role for muirá puaraa in sexual health is limited, and its widespread use in supplements for sexual health is not supported. (Id. ¶25.) The third article also reports that the effect of tribulus terrestris on human sexual response has not been well documented, guidelines and dosages are not clear, and the reason for its use in supple-[1098]*1098merits purporting to provide sexual- benefits is not strongly supported on the basis of scientific evidence. (Id. ¶ 26.) Further,' according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Asian ginseng is widely believed to-boost sexual .performance, but there aren’t many-studies to back that up. (Id. ¶ 27.) While one South Korean study concluded that taking ginseng orally improved all domains of sexual function, it failed to mention that the improvement was no better than the effects of a placebo, except for with respect to premature ejaculation. (Id.) Plaintiff asserts further that avena sativa, guaraña, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne also do not suppoit sexual function. (Id. ¶ 28.)

Plaintiff makes three core claims about IntenseX. First, he claims that IntenseX is misbranded because the .product label and website make “disease” claims that cause reasonable consumers to believe that the product can treat premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and diminished libido. (Id. ¶ 49.) Hence, Plaintiff claims, IntenseX violates FDA regulation 21 C.F.R. § 101.98, which regulates the claims manufacturers can make on supplement labels, as well as California’s Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law (“Sherman Law”), Cal. Health & Safety Code § 109875 et seq., which incorporates the’ FDA’s labeling regulations. (FAC ¶¶ 49, ■ 51-52.) In turn, Plaintiff alleges, these violations are. “unlawful” conduct within the meaning of the UCL. (Id. ¶¶ 88-89.)

Second, Plaintiff claims that InténseX is misbranded because it is marketed for use as an aphrodisiac. (Id. ¶¶ 44^47.) The FDA has determined that any product that is promoted for use as an aphrodisiac is a “new drug” that requires premarket approval. See 21 C.F.R.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
142 F. Supp. 3d 1091, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150105, 2015 WL 6742201, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kanfer-v-pharmacare-us-inc-casd-2015.