Suit brought against Yao over dietary supplement

A Beijing resident is dragging Chinese basketball star Yao Ming to court, claiming he was cheated by his idol into buying a health supplement that was promoted by the star.

Yao started speaking about the benefits of BY-HEALTH, a leading brand in Chinese dietary supplement industry, from August 2010.

In February, Feng Changshun was recommended to buy a bottle of fish oil soft gel capsules, produced by the brand, at an outlet of Baixing Yangguang pharmacy chain in Xicheng District after he complained about his poor memory and eyesight.

"I decided to buy it because of Yao. I am his fan," Feng said in the lawsuit. "I saw the product's health benefits that seemed to suit me and so I bought it."

The supplement costs 190 yuan (US$30.42). But it did not have any effect on Feng, who felt he was a victim of false advertising — ads that exaggerate the real effect of the products.

Along with Yao, Feng also filed a lawsuit against the pharmacy. The Beijing Xicheng District People's Court has accepted the lawsuit, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

BY-HEALTH insisted that its promotion was legal and its products safe. "Our fish oil soft gel capsules have been approved by the China Food and Drug Administration as a dietary supplement product that helps in lowering blood fat," it said.

That is only benefit listed on the bottle and on the product profile on the company website. But Feng claimed the sales people at the pharmacy gave him a promotion leaflet that claimed the fish oil could lower high blood fat, blood sugar, blood pressure and help in cardiovascular problems and asthma.

Yue Weiping, operation manager of the pharmacy chain, told the Beijing Youth Daily that the company never allowed any promotion materials at their stores. "We follow very strict rules in management," he said.

Beijing Youth Daily reported that it had found promotional leaflets at one of its outlets.