Beware of Fake Cures for the Coronavirus

Companies peddling herbal remedies and other nutritional supplement products that protect against COVID-19 are violating the law. Consumers need to beware of fake cures for the coronavirus. If you purchased one of these over-the-counter supplements that supposedly treat coronavirus, you should consider taking immediate legal action. Your first should be to speak with a qualified California false advertising attorney who can explain your legal options.

To learn more about fake nutritional supplements that are being marketed as cures for coronavirus, keep reading.

FDA Warns Consumers About Fake Treatments for COVID-19

Growing fears about the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a dramatic rise in the sale of fraudulent nutritional supplements that claim to cure or prevent the disease. This phenomenon is not new. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) itself has acknowledged that “during emergency situations or outbreaks, fraudulent products claiming to prevent, treat or cure conditions associated with the emergency or outbreak almost always appear for sale.”

Thus, on March 6, 2020 the FDA issued warning letters to several companies selling fake treatments for the coronavirus. The most infamous recipient of the warning letters, televangelist Jim Bakker, marketed a product that would “kill” coronavirus. Bakker’s promotional videos claimed that the “Silver Solution” supplement was “tested on other strains of the coronavirus, and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours, totally eliminate it, kills it, deactivates it.” Although these statements were arguably framed to evade false advertising lawsuits from consumers of coronavirus remedies, the statements are still considered unlawful.

Fraudulent claims about coronavirus remedies are not limited to televangelists. Many dishonest sellers of herbal products have also peddled homeopathic cures to the novel coronavirus that have no basis in reality. These include Amy Weidner of Herbal Amy, Inc., who claimed without any scientific support that “a number of herbs are strongly antiviral for corona viruses” in order to sell a formulation of various herbs on her website that she claimed were “preventative” and would protect consumers against the virus. Other websites have gone even further, selling four (4) different herbal remedies to treat coronavirus and dangerously instructing their customers who are infected with coronavirus to “take all 4 products and use the infection dosage.”

The dangers of marketing herbal products to treat a novel and deadly disease cannot be understated. At worst, consumers without access to medical care may forego medical treatment based on false claims. At minimum, consumers will shell out hard-earned money for fake products that will do nothing to keep them safe. Moreover, these negative consequences could get worse in the weeks and months ahead. As the pandemic spreads, so too will the opportunities for fraud. In the short time that coronavirus has impacted daily life, a variety of fake remedies have evolved in products ranging from colloidal silver, ionic silver, herbal teas, and even essential oils like eucalyptus – all claiming they can cure or treat coronavirus.

Contact the Los Angeles False Advertising Attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP

If you purchased nutritional supplements or any other products that claim to cure or prevent coronavirus, it’s possible that you were misled by false advertising from unethical and immoral companies attempting to capitalize on the public health crisis for their own financial benefit. The Los Angeles false advertising attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP can investigate your claims and potentially help you get financial compensation.

Call 310-590-3927 or send us an email to schedule a free consultation.