There was nothing extraordinary about the overblown marketing claims that Herbal Groups made about its prostate-health remedy Prostalex Plus. The National Advertising Division (NAD), the ad industry's self-regulatory body, blasted those unsubstantiated claims and testimonials just as they would any others that pledged users would “regain … youthful prostate function” and promised to “stop your constant need to urinate” without the science to support the assertions.

But the NAD, an investigative unit of the National Advertising Review Council (NARC), found new, more disturbing problems with Herbal Groups' promotions.

Not only did the supplement maker publicize exaggerated claims, it did so on a Web site called the “Prostate Health Blog,” a seemingly independent blog Herbal Groups sponsors.