Markets Wired

The Federal Trade Commission announced it has sent letters warning 30 more marketers nationwide to stop making unsubstantiated claims that their products and therapies can treat or prevent COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. This is the seventh set of warning letters the FTC has announced as part of its ongoing efforts to protect consumers from health-related COVID-19 scams. In all, the Commission has sent similar letters to 250 companies and individuals.

Most of the letters announced today target “treatments” the FTC has warned companies about previously, including intravenous (IV) Vitamin C and D infusions, supposed stem cell therapy, vitamin injections, essential oils, and CBD products. Other letters sent recently challenged claims that infrared heat, oral peroxide gel, and oxygen therapy can treat or cure COVD-19. However, currently there is no scientific evidence that these, or any, products or services can treat or cure the disease.

The FTC sent the letters announced today to the companies and individuals listed below. The recipients are grouped based on the type of therapy, product, or service they pitched as preventing or treating COVID-19.

CBD:

Essential Oils:

Infrared Heat:

Intravenous (IV) Vitamin and Ozone/Oxygen Therapies:

• Arlington Integrative Medical Center (Arlington, Texas)
• Dr. Miguel Gonzalez (Thousand Oaks, California)
• Joyce Palmer (Tucson, Arizona)
• Koi Wellbeing (La Jolla, California)
• NewSkin Laser Center (Northridge, California)
• Taylor Medical Wellness, Weight Loss and Aesthetic Group (Atlanta, Georgia)
• The Grossgold Clinic (Clearwater, Florida)
• The Remedy Room (New Orleans, Louisiana)
• Utopia Wellness (Oldsmar, Florida)

Oral Peroxide Gel:

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy:

Stem Cell Treatments:

Supplements, Vitamins, and Colloidal Silver:

• Dr. Laura E. Koniver (Fort Mill, South Carolina) and Intuition Physician, LLC (Haymarket, Virginia)
• Herbal Arc (Langhorne, Pennsylvania)
• Encode Nutrition (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• Fussy Body
• Huber Personalized Medicine, LLC (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• Integrative Medicine Center of Western Colorado (Grand Junction, Colorado)
• Joy Wellness Partners (San Diego, California)
• Loudoun Holistic Health Partners (Leesburg, Virginia)
• The Herb Doctor (Fountain, Colorado)

In the letters, the FTC states that one or more of the efficacy claims made by the marketers are unsubstantiated because they are not supported by scientific evidence, and therefore violate the FTC Act. The letters advise the recipients to immediately stop making all claims that their products can treat or cure COVID-19, and to notify the Commission within 48 hours about the specific actions they have taken to address the agency’s concerns.

The letters also note that if the false claims do not cease, the Commission may seek a federal court injunction and an order requiring money to be refunded to consumers. In April, the FTC announced its first case against a marketer of such products, Marc Ching, doing business as Whole Leaf Organics.

The FTC worked in coordination with the Office of the Attorney General of Louisiana, on the warning letter to The Remedy Room, and appreciates its assistance.