The Federal Trade Commission announced on Wednesday that they have ordered more than 20 marketers to stop making "baseless claims" that their products can treat or prevent COVID-19.
The agency issued cease-and-desist demands to these marketers, warning that violations could result in monetary penalties under the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act that was passed last year.
Violators who have made deceptive claims that their products can cure, prevent, or treat COVID-19 are subject to penalties up to $43,792 per violation.
This is the eleventh time that warning letters have been sent by the FTC. They previously sent letters to 405 companies and individuals. The new demands were sent to companies that have been using social media to sell their products.
Many of the letters are directed at products and "treatments" like peptide therapy, herbal remedies, ivermectin, and supplements. Other letters were intended for companies with less common products.
“Americans are still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and scammers are still taking advantage of them by making false claims about cures and treatments,” Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. “Our efforts to stamp out those claims will continue in 2022, and any marketers not heeding our cease-and-desist demands can expect to face consequences, including civil penalties”
The FTC is cracking down on violators due to the continued rise of COVID-19 cases with the omicron variant.
A full list of marketers that are involved were grouped by the type of product, therapy, or service that they are promoting to help prevent COVID-19. The types of products include infoceuticals, imprinted filtered water, IV Ozone and Vitamin C and D therapy, low-dose immunotherapy treatments, nasal irrigation therapy, osteopathic manipulative treatments, peptide therapies/ vitamin drips and injection/skin care therapies, herabl remedies, and more.
The FTC also sent cease-and-desist demands to four multi-level marketing companies. They were advised to remove and address claims that they or their participants have made about the product's ability to prevent COVID-19. This is the third set of letters sent by the FTC to multi-level marketing companies.
Three of the four companies received letters over product claims, while the fourth was sent a letter with regards to earnings claims. All of the companies must let the FTC know within 48 hours about specific actions they are taking to address the concerns.
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