Australians spend millions each year on complementary medicines like vitamins and other herbal remedies. But how do we know they work? The Blackmores company has been accused of misleading consumers by claiming their supplement “sugar balance”, could reduce appetite, tiredness and cravings for sweet foods. The Complaint Resolution Panel, who regulates the industry, found that there was no scientific evidence to support the claims, but it has no power to penalise companies or force them to comply. While Blackmores watered down claims on their website, it will be months before the newly labelled versions of the product replace those already in stores. The incident has prompted calls for stricter regulation of the industry.