Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, CONSUMER PROTECTION NEWS: FTC issues warning letters to online sellers of Zika virus protection products, (Aug 5, 2016)

By Michael Menzhuber, J.D., LL.M.

The FTC has sent 10 warning letters to online marketers of Zika virus protection products, alerting them that false or misleading claims that they make regarding the products may violate the FTC Act, the agency announced today.

The products of concern include wristbands, patches, and stickers that purportedly can repel the mosquitos that carry Zika or otherwise protect users from the virus.

The letters:

• warn the recipients that Zika protection claims must be supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence in the form of a well-controlled human study;

• point out that the testing supporting Zika virus protection claims must use the mosquito species that are able to carry the virus and demonstrate that the repellant effects last as long as advertised;

• urge the recipients to review the claims that they and their affiliates and distributors are making for their products and delete or change them immediately if they cannot be substantiated by scientific evidence; and

• ask recipients to report back to the FTC within 48 hours, detailing the specific actions that they have taken to remove or change potentially false, misleading, or unsupported claims.

The names of the online marketers receiving warning letters are not being released by the FTC.

News: ConsumerProtection FederalTradeCommissionNews