Representatives who sell natural detoxification or weight loss products in Quebec are currently in the authorities’ sights for illegally practicing medicine.
The College of Physicians of Quebec (CMQ) has confirmed to Newspaper that investigations are underway into people who offer products from the American company Isagenix.
These are so-called natural health products, mainly used for weight loss. The catalog includes shake powders, protein bars, collagen supplements, adaptogen elixirs, and a variety of products that are said to have various properties.
They are marketed through multi-level marketing (MLM), meaning that “distributors” sell them to their entourage and recruit other representatives to swell the ranks of their team.
Since the investigations are confidential, the College was not able to say who the representatives targeted in Quebec are or how many there are.
Note that a report does not necessarily lead to an investigation by the CMQ; an analysis is first carried out to see if there are grounds, explained spokesperson Étienne Desgagnés.
All over the internet
Isagenix product reps are popping up all over social media. On TikTok, content creators are praising its benefits to their followers in short videos, hoping to boost their sales.
Some even feature before and after photos to show the results of weight loss.
On Instagram, Isagenix posts before/after photos to promote weight loss products.
Instagram Isagenix
“The products are sold by people we trust: friends, relatives, colleagues. It’s easier to fall for it. That’s the strength of network marketing,” warns nutritionist Marie-Jeanne Rossier-Bisaillon, from the Association pour la santé publique du Québec.
There is a very risky side, according to the nutritionist. Anyone can become a distributor.
In fact, several influencers from Quebec, some with thousands of subscribers, have recently launched into this type of entrepreneurship. For those who benefit from a strong community, the profit potential is immense.
“They already have some credibility with their community, but some people pretend to be health or weight loss specialists even though they have no training. They will give advice that is not based on [la science] “, deplores M.me Rossier-Bisaillon.
Risk of deviations
The nutritionist believes that these products, which are not subject to the same rules as medicines, should nevertheless be considered just as seriously, “because they can have many undesirable effects on health.”
“The risks of abuse are great,” she continues.
Everyone can talk about healthy eating and that’s a good thing, says Joëlle Émond, president of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec.
“But when it comes to giving specific recommendations and changing your diet drastically, you have to consult professionals,” she says, pointing out that miracle solutions do not exist.
The president believes that the legal means available to professional orders to counter online disinformation are very limited. “We need to ask ourselves what other, more effective means can be put in place,” says Mme Emond.
Fines for illegal practice of medicine range from $2,500 to $62,500 per count, according to the CMQ.