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Since the early days of the novel coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of unscrupulous companies have illegally marketed a wide range of products and therapies, not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, with false claims that they could prevent, treat or cure COVID-19. Consumers therefore must remain ever vigilant for businesses peddling COVID-19 products that are fraudulent, a waste of money and potentially harmful.
To contain this epidemic of fraud, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)...
Since the early days of the novel coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of unscrupulous companies have illegally marketed a wide range of products and therapies, not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, with false claims that they could prevent, treat or cure COVID-19. Consumers therefore must remain ever vigilant for businesses peddling COVID-19 products that are fraudulent, a waste of money and potentially harmful.
To contain this epidemic of fraud, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over the past year has issued warning letters to nearly 400 companies and individuals for making unsubstantiated claims that their products and therapies can prevent or treat COVID-19.[1]
Most recently, on April 29, 2021, the FTC announced that 30 marketers of bogus COVID-19 products had stopped making such unsubstantiated claims after receiving FTC warning letters.[2] Notably, these letters cited the agency’s new authority to issue civil penalties of up to $43,800 per violation against COVID-19 fraudsters under the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act, which was passed by Congress in December 2020.[3]
Examples of the most egregious illegal claims cited by the FTC included the following:
- An anti-aging clinic marketed “oxygen ozone therapy” on its website with ads stating that “According to several preliminary reports, medical professionals may have a treatment that can quickly and drastically improve the condition of COVID-19 patients: Oxygen Ozone Therapy…We offer this safe treatment at our clinic for prevention and are offering home ozone therapies to patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.”[4]
- A sauna company marketed its infrared saunas with online ads claiming that “I am going on the attack. COVID-19 I’m coming for you! I have a secret weapon that induces a natural low-grade fever to kill off all you buggers and sweat them out before they take hold in my body…Coincidentally, one of the most relevant proven health benefits in the current coronavirus/ SARS-CoV-2 environment is a far infrared sauna’s ability to literally induce a low-grade fever to kill off latent viruses.”[5]
- A regenerative medicine clinic promoted its stem-cell therapy with online ads asserting that “Stem Cells have been demonstrated in a Chinese study…to be successful in reversing severe and critical COVID-19 infection.”[6]
In each case, the FTC advised the companies to review all claims for their products and services and immediately cease making claims not supported by reliable scientific evidence.[7] The companies were given 48 hours to describe specific actions taken in response to the agency’s warning letters.
Protect yourself: Ignore ads for oxygen ozone therapy, infrared saunas, stem-cell treatments and the scores of other bogus products that have been promoted illegally online and elsewhere for COVID-19.
References
[1] Federal Trade Commission. The FTC directed 30 more marketers to stop making unsupported claims that their products and therapies can effectively prevent or treat COVID-19. April 29, 2021. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-directed-30-more-marketers-stop-making-unsupported-claims. Accessed May 10, 2021.
[2] Ibid.
[3] H.R. 133. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/133/actions. Accessed May 10, 2021.
[4] Federal Trade Commission. Warning letter to Butterfly Holistic Center. March 18, 2021. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/warning-letters/covid-19-letter-butterfly-holistic-center.pdf. Accessed May 10, 2021.
[5] Federal Trade Commission. Letter to Celebration Saunas, Inc. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/warning-letters/covid-19-letter-celebration-saunas.pdf. Accessed May 10, 2021.
[6] Federal Trade Commission. Letter to Rocky Mountain Regenerative Medicine. November 5, 2020. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/warning-letters/covid-19-letter-rocky-mountain-regenerative-medicine.pdf. Accessed May 10, 2021.
[7] Federal Trade Commission. The FTC directed 30 more marketers to stop making unsupported claims that their products and therapies can effectively prevent or treat COVID-19. April 29, 2021. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/04/ftc-directed-30-more-marketers-stop-making-unsupported-claims. Accessed May 10, 2021.
