WASHINGTON—In conjunction with government agencies in Mexico and Canada, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have begun efforts to halt deceptive Internet advertisements and sales of products misrepresented as cures or treatments for diabetes. The ongoing joint campaign has so far included approximately 180 warning letters and other advisories sent to online marketers and companies in the three countries.
Using the results of an Internet sweep for “hidden traps”, FTC (www.ftc.gov) sent warning letters for deceptive ads to 84 domestic and seven Canadian Web sites targeting U.S. consumers, referring an additional 21 sites to foreign governments. According to the agencies, about a quarter of the firms have already changed their claims or removed their pages from the Internet, and several others are in contact with FTC.
“We will continue working with our partners in the United States and internationally to make sure scammers have no place to hide,” said Lydia Parnes, director of FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The Internet can be a great source of information, but it also is a billboard for ads that promise miracle cures for diabetes and other serious diseases.”
FTC also created a new consumer education campaign to teach consumers how to avoid phony diabetes cures. The materials, including a Web site (http://wemarket4u.net/glucobate/index.html), encourage consumers to “Be smart, be skeptical!” and will be available in English, Spanish and French.
FDA also sent warning letters to 24 firms marketing online dietary supplement products with claims to treat, cure, prevent or mitigate diabetes. The letters can be viewed at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dialist.html. They also seized products at one firm.
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