GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Companies pushing misleading claims to treat or cure Covid-19 are being asked to stand down by the Food and Drug Administration.
Since March, the FDA has stopped nearly 20 companies from making claims their products can prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19.
Neuro XPF, a CBD company owned by former NFL player Kyle Turley, is just one example of companies asked to retract false claims. The FDA and FTC jointly issued warning letters to Vital Silver, Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd., Xephyr, LLC doing business as N-Ergetics, GuruNanda, LLC, Vivify Holistic Clinic, Herbal Amy LLC, and The Jim Bakker Show. The products cited in these warning letters are teas, essential oils, tinctures, and colloidal silver.
“There already is a high level of anxiety over the potential spread of coronavirus,” said FTC Chairman Joe Simons. “What we don’t need in this situation are companies preying on consumers by promoting products with fraudulent prevention and treatment claims."
The FDA says companies who continue to market products with false claims that they prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19 may be subject to legal action.
“There are currently no vaccines or drugs approved to treat or prevent COVID-19. Although there are investigational COVID-19 vaccines and treatments under development, these investigational products are in the early stages of product development and have not yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness.”
Meanwhile, the Council for Nutrition and Herbal Products has notified dietary supplement companies and retailers to not stock products making these claims, warning consumers to avoid any products claiming to treat or cure COVID-19.
Eric Smart, CEO of Myaderm CBD has been following these claims from the beginning, telling Fox 17 News that staying informed is another way you can make health-smart choices.
“Supplements like vitamins and minerals, even CBD, these are not bad things," Smart noted. "However, they’re not going to make a significant ability to fight COVID-19. What will, is having a good diet, staying healthy, and practicing good hygiene, like washing your hands and not touching your face.”
He went on to say CBD products do fight against anxiety and inflammation, saying these types of products do have their place in all this, but agrees with the CDC that practicing social distancing and washing your hands are best to combat the virus.
