The ginseng supplement has had blockbuster success in Canada where it quickly became a household name and somewhat of a phenomenon. In the United States Cold-fx is marketed as an immune enhancing dietary supplement, whereas in Canada it is now marketed as an over-the-counter remedy. The endorsement by the city's emergency departments represents positive advertising for the product at a time when supplement marketers are increasingly leaning towards using spokespeople or sporting events to increase awareness of their supplements. As part of CV Technologies social responsibility program, a C$250,000 supply of Cold-fx will be made available to the city of Edmonton through a cost-sharing arrangement with the company. The supply will then be available for use by police, fire and emergency medical personnel. Cold-fx has a treatment claim that is approved by Health Canada, stating the product "helps reduce the frequency, severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms by boosting the immune system." The supplement is a standardized extract developed by the spin-off company of the University of Alberta. It contains 80 percent poly-furanosyl-pyranosyl-saccharides and 10 percent protein from the ginseng roots. It is freeze-dried and encapsulated to contain 200mg/capsule. "This is one more tool we can add to our pandemic preparedness toolkit," said Bob Black, director of Edmonton's Office of Emergency Preparedness.
