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 [...]

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 [...]

FDA Targets Gastric Band Weight-Loss Claims

Side bar:  If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know we routinely draw attention to bring news from various U.S. regulatory agencies, such as the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Today, we decided to report the FDA’s latest alert on weight loss procedures.   What follows is the FDA’s article in [...]

Antibiotic Resistance – A Public Health Issue

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), antibiotic resistance is a growing public health concern worldwide.   Antibiotics, also known as antimicrobial drugs, are drugs used for treating infections caused by bacteria. They have saved countless lives.  However, misuse and overuse of these drugs have contributed to a phenomenon known as antibiotic resistance. [...]

FDA Advises Women with Breast Implants‏

  On January 26, 2011, the FDA announced that women who have breast implants may have a very small, but increased risk of developing a rare form of lymphoma (ALCL).  FDA is beginning a registry of ALCL patients with breast implants in order to gather more information and better understand the risk. CLICK HERE   to learn more from [...]

Fighting Fraud With Commonsense and Timely Information

It’s a new year.  It’s also a time when fraudsters come out with their tricks and false promises — many designed to rob unsuspecting people of their hard-earned money.  Fraudsters steal more than money; they steal trust and destroy goodwill.  Thankfully, it is easy to avoid becoming their victim. It calls for a bit of [...]

Tainted Products Marketed As Dietary Supplements

On Dec. 15, 2010, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took new steps aimed at keeping consumers safe from harmful products that are marketed as dietary supplements and that contain undeclared or deceptively labeled ingredients.   According to the Agency, these products are often promoted for weight loss, sexual enhancement, and bodybuilding.  Among the substances [...]

Proposed Cigarette Warning: will it scare you enough to quit?

On November 10, 2010, The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announced a proposed rule to require new and prominent health warnings on all cigarette packages, cartons and advertisements, which  hopefully, will effectively convey the negative health consequences of smoking to educate all Americans about the health [...]