Coronavirus: FDA, FTC Warn Seven Firms Over Deceptive Claims
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Monday said they have sent joint warning letters to seven companies for making fraudulent and unsupported claims about products, including essential oils and colloidal silver, to treat coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.There are currently no products approved to treat COVID-19 in the US, though multiple drugmakers are working to develop drugs and vaccines for the novel coronavirus.
“The FDA considers the sale and promotion of fraudulent COVID-19 products to be a threat to the public health. We have an aggressive surveillance program that routinely monitors online sources for health fraud products, especially during a significant public health issue such as this one,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn.
The warning letters, sent to Vital Silver, Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd, Xephyr LLC, GuruNanda LLC, Vivify Holistic Clinic, Herbal Amy Inc and The Jim Bakker Show, cite the companies for promoting unapproved products to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19.
The agencies say they have given the companies 48 hours to respond to the warning letters and note that the companies may face further legal action, including seizure or injunction.
FDA, FTC