FTC Permanently Stops Six Affiliate Marketers from Using Fake News Sites

As part of its ongoing crackdown on bogus health claims and false advertising, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) conducted enforcement sweeps in 2011 against marketers who allegedly used fake news sites to promote weight-loss products.  The FTC alleged that the marketers designed websites, which falsely appear as if they were part of legitimate news organizations. [...]

FDA Warning and Close-Out Letters

As part of its regulatory compliance activity, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues warning and close-out letters.  There are three types of warning letters, reflecting the nature of the compliance violation and the corrective action required from the violator. This article describes each type of warning letter, and provides a backdrop to our subsequent [...]

FDA Enforcement Report – January 18, 2012

The FDA publishes a weekly Enforcement Report, which details product recalls and field correction activity of the agency.  It is a vital resource for both industry and consumers.  Each report provides information about recalled products, including:      product name and code manufacturer and/or distributor volume of product in circulation geographical distribution of product reason [...]

Price Gouging Alert: CVS Caremark Corporation Settles FTC Deceptive Pricing Charges

CVS Caremark Corporation will pay $5 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it misrepresented the prices of certain Medicare Part D prescription drugs – including drugs used to treat breast cancer symptoms and epilepsy – at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. The allegedly deceptive claims caused many seniors and disabled consumers to pay significantly more [...]

FDA Enforcement Report – January 11, 2012

The FDA publishes a weekly Enforcement Report, which details product recalls and field correction activity of the agency.  It is a vital resource for both industry and consumers.  Each report provides information about recalled products, including:       product name and code manufacturer and/or distributor volume of product in circulation geographical distribution of product reason [...]

Health Fraud Alert — Don’t Be Fooled By Scams

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the snake oil salesman is still alive. The FDA should know – the agency was formed in 1906, to among other things, protect consumers from “snake oil salesmen” and other shifty characters who swindled the sick and gullible.  Over a century later, the FDA is still [...]

Marketers Beware: Stiff Penalties for Deceptive Advertising and Unfair Billing

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Phoenix-based Central Coast Nutraceuticals, Inc., an operation that marketed acai berry supplements, colon cleansers, and other products using allegedly fraudulent free trial offers and phony endorsements from Oprah Winfrey and Rachael Ray will pay $1.5 million as part of a settlement. The case against, is part of [...]

FDA Warns About Stem Cell Claims – Information You Should Know

Stem cells, sometimes called the “master cells,” are the precursor cells that develop into blood, brain, bones and all of the body’s organs.  These cells have the potential to repair, restore, and regenerate, which explains their promise in the treatment of diseases and medical conditions for which few treatments exist. The Food and Drug Administration [...]