Bleeding nose test on product

A deer velvet supplement company director tested its product by blowing his nose: when he got a nose bleed, he changed the supplement’s composition.

Silberhorn Ltd and its sole director, Ian Carline, of Invercargill, are involved in a disputed facts hearing before Judge Kevin Phillips in the Dunedin District Court.

The deer velvet supplement seller, whose product was previously endorsed by golfer Sir Bob Charles and the late Sir Colin Meads, was investigated for breaches of the Fair Trading Act over complaints its product did not contain the claimed amount of deer velvet.

Yesterday, the court heard that Carline did not use scientific tests on his products, instead ‘‘I would use myself as a guinea pig’’.

All Blacks great Sir Colin also trialled some samples.

Some of Carline’s trials would result in nosebleeds.

Under cross-examination by Commerce Commission counsel John Dixon, Carline said he asked manufacturers to make product with less deer velvet powder than what was declared on the label.

He did so because his deer velvet was more potent, he told the court. He gauged that potency by conducting tests on himself, including whether he got nose bleeds.

The company admitted 26 charges relating to its use while the company and Carline each admitted one count of withholding information from the commission.

The commission said no course of action had been decided. Carline said he asked the commission for its definition of deer velvet products, of which there were none.