Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, CONSUMER PROTECTION NEWS: FTC to host workshop to examine advertising for OTC homeopathic products, (Sep 18, 2015)
By Michael Menzhuber, J.D., LL.M.
A workshop to examine advertising for over-the-counter (OTC) homeopathic products will be hosted by the FTC on September 21, in Washington, DC. The workshop will bring together a variety of stakeholders, including medical professionals, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and government regulators. Panels will include staff from the FTC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institute of Health (NIH), and industry and association representatives. Opening remarks will be provided by FTC Commissioner Maureen K. Ohlhausen.
The homeopathic drug industry in the United States has grown considerably during the last few decades from a multimillion-dollar to a multibillion-dollar market. The homeopathic drug market has shifted from one based primarily on formulations prescribed for an individual user to mass-market formulations widely advertised and sold nationwide in major retail stores. Because of the rapid growth in the marketing and consumer use of homeopathic products, the FTC is hosting a workshop to evaluate the advertising for such products.
The public is invited to submit research, recommendations for topics of discussion, and requests to participate as panelists. The workshop will cover topics including:
a look at changes in the homeopathic market, its advertising, and what consumers know;
the science behind homeopathy and its effectiveness;
the effects of recent class actions against homeopathic product companies;
the application of Section 5 of the FTC Act to advertising claims for homeopathic products; and
public policy concerns about the current regulation of homeopathic products.
Public comments can be submitted electronically. Written submissions should be sent to: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite CC-5610 (Annex B), Washington, DC 20580, and should reference the Homeopathic Medicine & Advertising Workshop both in the text and on the envelope. The deadline for submitting public comments is November 20.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., with registration beginning at 9:00 a.m. The event will also be webcast. On the day of the event, the webcast link will appear at the top of the workshop home page, which also will have a link to the workshop agenda.
News: ConsumerProtection FederalTradeCommissionNews