Herb Research Foundation

ConsumerLabs claims 44 percent of echinacea products failed testing.

According to the company, 11 of 25 products purchased for testing failed analysis. However, that number includes six products eliminated before testing began because of misleading or ambiguous labeling. Of the 19 actually tested, five failed (26 percent). Four contained insufficient levels of echinacea markers, and one had excessive microbial contamination. Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association, commented, "It's just not true that 44 percent of the tested echinacea products failed. It's truly unfortunate that a company that represents itself as a scientific savior for consumers has chosen to go for the sensational headlines at the expense of a scientifically sound analysis." Virgo Publishing Inc, May 7, 2001.